Forests for People

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fostering synergy, takes time, but is a needed approach. The coor-

dinated implementation of the three Rio conventions can be more

effectively achieved within their common mandate on forests;

providing the starting point for addressing these common issues

at the local and national level. Furthermore, action on scientific

issues related to dry forests and on countries with low forest cover

needs to be strengthened, linking these issues with the interna-

tional work on these matters, not only of the UNCCD but also

of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),

Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem

Services (IPBES) and other independent initiatives.

On the other hand focusing on smallholder farmers and target-

ing women as priority can be an effective way to realize increased

livelihoods.

Actions on agroforestry and combating poverty targeting

smallholder farmers through policies, incentives and exchange

mechanisms need to be undertaken, based on those lessons

learned related to agroforestry systems in drylands. At the same

time success stories based on traditional knowledge should be

promoted.

In Ghana, for example, indigenous knowledge and beliefs of

environmental management forms an integral part of drylands

development activities. Traditional authorities are encouraged

by the Government institutions to designate more areas as sacred

groves. The traditional authorities mobilize and sensitize the

communities on the importance of reforestation and provide the

necessary land space needed for the project. The protected area

becomes a small refuge for a large variety of fauna and flora and a

repository of numerous native species found nowhere else in the

community in such large concentrations. It maintains a higher

biodiversity than the original open-canopy forest. The

grove then becomes an important source of both seeds

and seed dispersers vital to traditional shifting cultiva-

tion practices, and of herbs for local medicinal, social

and religious purposes.

In the forest-related action local actors seek support

or the strengthening of their capacities to counter the

threats of anthropogenic actions, climate change and

biodiversity loss. The potential negative impacts of

climate change on dry forests are of particular concern

since dry forest soils are particularly susceptible to wind

and water erosion.

A final comment refers to the need for process-

ing UN-REDD financing to drylands and dry forests.

Currently, REDD+ activities, especially demonstra-

tion activities, are concentrated in humid forests

rather than in dry forest areas. Readiness activities are

more equally distributed between humid, semi-humid

and dry forest areas. One explanation for the neglect

of dry forest areas is that these forests are generally

‘poorer’ in carbon than humid forests.

However,

this is arguable as dry forests cover greater areas than

humid forests in the tropics and are typically more

degraded, making them key target areas for terrestrial

carbon storage, recovery, and ‘avoided’ deforestation

projects.

In addition, dry forests offer a particularly

promising opportunity for targeting REDD+ co-bene-

fits; they tend to have higher population densities than

humid forests and mainly poor people,

along with

high levels of biodiversity.

Forests are a source of livelihood for the rural poor

Engaging smallholder farmers in reforestation

Image: Sebastian Gortari - UNCCD photo contest 2009

Image: Arnold C. Jumpay - UNCCD photo contest 2009