productive land in the African continent is degraded, while the land area affected by desertification amounts to 45 per cent. Although there has been a downward trend in harmful practices, the report revealed that there is a growth in net loss of forests, with nearly four million hectares of forest disappearing every year.
The situation is further exacerbated by extensive dry lands in the continent, which are vulnerable to climate change. Therefore, the report called for the prioritisation of restoring these vast land areas, including 198 million hectares in the Kalahari-Namib countries in Southern Africa, 162 million hectares in the Sahara-Sahel countries in western and north-central Africa, as well as 33 million hectares of land in Northern Africa.
“Despite our efforts, every year more forest disappears, costing the continent a three percent loss of Gross Domestic Product,” FAO’s Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, Abebe Haile-Gabriel, said. “Degraded forest landscapes intensify the effects of climate change and are a barrier to building resilient and prosperous communities when 60 per cent of Africans depend on their land and their forests. The urgent need to reverse these negative and devastating trends has prompted African leaders to commit to the restoration of the continent’s ecosystems.”
According to the study, overuse of natural resources, urbanisation, forest clearance, extreme weather conditions and several other factors continue to obstruct the restoration of landscapes and forests in Africa. Therefore, the review is expected to form an important baseline in assessing the urgent need for progress in the continent during the United Nations’ Decade of Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030.
