TO: AFF Members Forum
FROM: Chairperson – AFF Members Forum
Message by the Chair of the AFF Members Forum on the International Day of Forests 2024
Greetings to all of you and Happy New Year 2024!
I do hope the year 2024 started very well with all of us taking our responsibilities of ensuring that the African forest resources are managed in a sustainable manner to ensure the future of the present and coming generations. Just to remind you that the International Day of Forests in this year 2024 will as usual be marked on the 21st March 2024 and the celebration theme is “Forests and Innovation: New solutions for a better world”
The old thinking about forests with assumptions that they are for conservation and management only; need to be updated since the world is changing with technological changes taking over day after day. The need to strike a balance between forest productivity and sustainability in an innovative way is crucial. Over the last decades, we have observed technological changes taking place in the forestry sector such as the use of global positioning systems (GPS) and drones in resources assessment. Some technological changes in harvesting of forest products involving use of precision cutting methods are also being applied across the globe not leaving aside the African continent. The emerging new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence are assisting the forests to be managed more sustainably in terms of efficiency and effectiveness to maximize the benefits accrued from these natural resources.
From literature point of view, it has been shown that forests anchor almost 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity, and are a treasure trove of innovations. An estimated 350 million people across the world currently depend on the forests for subsistence living with minimal income. This population could benefit more from the forest resources and strengthen sustainable management if innovative systems are also applied in developing our forest industry and forest-based enterprises. There is a question for each of us as forestry stakeholders to answer, how far have we in Africa been heavily attentive on systems of innovations?
Innovation represents a potential path to competitive advantage for the African forest products industry businesses. As we mark this day let’s take the issue of innovation within the forestry sector serious and with deeper concern taking into considerations that its high time for us as African forestry stakeholders to come up with new simple and affordable technological innovations which will help in reducing the exacerbating deforestation and forest degradation in our countries. Remember also that applicability of these emerging new technologies in the forestry sector will require multidisciplinary efforts including political wills from our government, development partners and grassroots at large.
Last but not least, I believe many of you have registered for the upcoming XXVI IUFRO World Congress with a theme; "Forests and Society Towards 2050" in Stockholm, Sweden from 24th – 29th June 2024. This Congress presents an opportunity for us as AFF Members to share experiences and showcase the many activities undertaken as part of contributions of forestry to the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals, the 2050 vision of Living in Harmony with Nature of the Convention on Biological Diversity, while meeting the critical climate target of zero net emissions. I look forward to active participation of the AFF and its Members to this important Congress in Stockholm, Sweden June 2024 for us to exchange scientific knowledge, share experiences and broaden our network with diverse stakeholders from other regions of the world
I wish you a happy and enjoyable International Day of Forests 2024 with a view of bringing better solutions to our African Forests through innovative approaches!
Signed
Prof. Suzana Augustino
Chairperson – AFF Members Forum
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