West Africa is home to around 72 million hectares of forest and wetlands, essential for people, biodiversity, and climate resilience. But the region is at risk of losing these ecosystems at an alarming pace. What’s driving this change? And what can be done about it?

A new regional assessment led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) takes a closer look at the direct and indirect drivers of deforestation and forest degradation between 2015 and 2020. Conducted under the "Global Transformation of Forests for People and Climate" (GTFP) initiative, the study offers the most comprehensive picture yet of forest change across West Africa.

Digging into the drivers

The most frequent causes of forest loss? Small-scale agriculture, small-scale logging, and fire. These were found in more than half of all the plots where forest change occurred, with small-scale agriculture identified as the leading driver.

Importantly, the study reveals that these drivers rarely act alone. The most frequent combinations involve small-scale agriculture, fire, and logging – suggesting integrated land-use patterns where communities use fire to clear forest for farming and extract timber for household use or income. In many areas, these activities overlap with other pressures like road expansion and urbanization.

At the country level, differences emerge. Nigeria had the highest counts for small-scale logging and urban expansion, while Côte d'Ivoire stood out for industrial agriculture and conversion to grassland. The Gambia had a high number of fire-related changes, underlining regional variation in land management practices.

How the study was done

The assessment combined multiple layers of evidence:

• A systematic literature review of 174 sources in English and French to identify potential drivers
• A participatory expert ranking exercise with representatives from eight West African countries
• A geospatial analysis using free, high-resolution satellite imagery and sampling of 64 000 plots
• Visual interpretation using tools like Collect Earth and Google Earth Engine to classify land use and detect changes

This rigorous, step-by-step approach was designed to be transparent, replicable, and adaptable. It drew on methodologies previously used in Central Africa and was tailored to West African contexts with strong national engagement at every stage.

Why this matters

Until now, many countries in West Africa have had difficulties to generate reliable, spatially explicit data on what drives forest loss. This assessment closes key knowledge gaps and creates a shared regional understanding that countries can use to target interventions more effectively.

Equally important is the recognition that many deforestation drivers are linked to poverty and daily survival. Small-scale farming and fuelwood collection reflect the needs of rural populations. This means that tackling deforestation cannot be disconnected from livelihoods, land rights, and food security. Solutions must be integrated and inclusive.

What’s next?

The report outlines clear next steps:

• West African countries are encouraged to adapt the methodology to national and subnational levels;
• Capacity-development programmes are needed to support technical teams in monitoring and data analysis;
• Community participation could be strengthened to ensure local ownership of forest data and monitoring processes;
• Regional cooperation could be deepened through shared tools, platforms, and training.

This work forms part of FAO’s broader support under the initiative, aimed at improving forest monitoring systems and promoting sustainable forest and land-use practices. It aligns with and supports ECOWAS' Forest Convergence Plan and ongoing REDD+ efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

A foundation for action

By clearly identifying the top drivers of forest loss and showing how they interact, the new report is set to support governments, researchers, and communities to act with focus. The study also proves that reliable, spatially detailed forest monitoring is both feasible and valuable, especially when national experts are involved from the start.

In a region where forest-dependent livelihoods are common, and where pressures like agricultural expansion and woodfuel demand are growing, having targeted information is essential. It means countries can prioritize the right actions, design more responsive policies, and channel limited resources toward the places and problems that matter most.

To dive deeper into the findings and explore practical tools developed under this initiative, consult the full report and accompanying resources published by FAO in English and French.

Learn more about Focus Area 1 of the “Global Transformation of Forests for People and Climate” project, which supports better forest data for decision-making in West Africa go to: https://www.fao.org/redd/initiatives/gtfpc/fa1/en/

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