Year of publication 2010

These guidelines were developed with enormous contributions from international, regional and national forestry experts and partners active in the region. They are intended to guide forestry decision-makers and managers in prioritizing the issues and aspects that need to be addressed. The guidelines' objective is to improve forest planning and management in the drylands of the region, so as to contribute to the well-being of local populations and enhance their social, cultural, environmental and economic benefits. The guidelines are based on widely accepted international standards for sustainable forest management. The area they cover comprises the arid, semi-arid and sub-humid zones of sub-Saharan Africa. FAO role is to encourage their widespread use and further improvement and adaptation for the benefit of all stakeholders, in order to reduce inadequate land-use policies, poor governance, complex land tenure issues, and a general lack of understanding of the importance of forest and woodland resources and to contribute to poverty reduction and food security, as long as they are well valued and sustainably managed.