As the world prepares to mark International
Day of Forests on March 21, 2026, Grace Nafula begins her morning
the same way she always does — walking into the small forest behind her home in
Bumatofu, Buhugu sub-county, Sironko district (Mount Elgon region, Uganda).
The air smells of damp soil and wild leaves. She
checks the beehives tied to tree trunks, gathers leaves of Momordica foetida (commonly
referred to as Ebombo in local Luganda), a climber that has
multiple medicinal benefits, including treatment of coughs, which her grandmother taught her to
recognise. She also collects dry branches from nearby Musambya (Markhamia lutea) and guava trees for use in cooking.
To an outsider, it may look like a simple patch of
woodland. But to Grace, it is a
storehouse, a pharmacy, a fuel station, and a bank.
“This forest feeds us,” she says.
Across East Africa, millions of households share
Grace’s reality. Forests are not simply landscapes — they are economic
infrastructure quietly supporting livelihoods, water systems, agriculture, and
energy supply. Yet unlike roads, dams, or
power plants, forests rarely receive the financing needed to sustain the
services they provide.
The scale of community dependence is enormous.
Globally, about 1.6 billion people rely
on forests for their livelihoods, particularly rural communities and
smallholder farmers (FAO, 2022). In Africa, forest resources contribute roughly 22 per cent of household income in
rural areas, through products such as fuelwood, fruits, medicinal
plants, and building materials (Angelsen et al., 2014).
In East Africa, dependence is even more visible. More than 80 per cent of households rely on
wood fuel — mainly firewood and charcoal — for cooking and heating
(International Energy Agency, 2023). Forest foods such as wild fruits,
mushrooms, nuts, and edible insects also provide important nutrition for
millions of rural families, particularly during droughts or poor harvest
seasons (FAO, 2022).
For communities living near forests, this reliance
can be even greater. Studies of forest-adjacent households in East Africa show
that forest products can account for
30–40 per cent of total household income, especially among poorer
households with limited access to land or formal employment (Angelsen et al.,
2014).
Beyond household livelihoods, forests underpin
major sectors of the regional economy. Forested watersheds regulate water flows
that supply cities, irrigate farms, and power hydropower plants. Forest
ecosystems protect soils that sustain export crops such as coffee, tea, and
bananas. Biodiversity-rich forests also support tourism — one of East Africa’s
fastest-growing economic sectors.
These contributions align strongly with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Healthy forests support SDG 15 (Life on
Land) through biodiversity protection and ecosystem restoration. They
contribute to SDG 13 (Climate Action)
by absorbing carbon and stabilising rainfall patterns. Forest-based livelihoods
also advance SDG 1 (No Poverty)
and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by
strengthening rural incomes and food security (United Nations, 2023).
Yet despite their immense value, forests across East Africa remain under
pressure.
The region continues to lose hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest
every year, largely due to agricultural expansion, charcoal production,
and infrastructure development (FAO, 2023). Uganda alone has lost nearly half of its forest cover since 1990,
shrinking from about 4.5 million
hectares to roughly 2.3 million hectares today (National Forestry
Authority, 2024).
This loss is not only an environmental concern — it represents the erosion of natural infrastructure that supports economic activity and human wellbeing.
When forests disappear, communities lose more than
trees. They lose fuel, food, income, and water security — the very foundations
of rural economies.
Grace Nafula’s small forest offers a glimpse of
what a different development pathway could look like. The honey from her
beehives now provides a steady income for her household, while the trees protect
her soil, regulate water, and shelter the crops that feed her family.
“If the forest grows,” she says, “our lives grow
too.”
Her words capture a reality often overlooked in
economic planning: forests are not simply environmental assets — they are
foundational infrastructure for livelihoods, food systems, and climate
resilience. For millions of East Africans, forests function much like roads,
water systems, or energy grids: they sustain economic activity and reduce
vulnerability.
Recognising this role requires a shift in policy
and financing priorities.
First, governments must begin treating forests as productive national
assets within development planning and public investment frameworks,
including national accounting systems and infrastructure strategies (World
Bank, 2022). Second, stronger support
is needed for community forest
management and local enterprises, which evidence shows can improve both
forest conservation and rural incomes when communities have secure rights and
incentives (FAO, 2023). Third,
international climate finance — including carbon markets, restoration funds, and nature-based solutions financing
— must be scaled up to reward countries that protect and restore forest
landscapes (UNEP, 2023).
These actions are essential not only for
environmental protection but also for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG
13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land) (United Nations, 2023).
As the world marks the International Day of Forests in 2026, the message for East Africa
is increasingly clear: protecting forests
is not a luxury — it is an economic necessity.
The region’s forests already support millions of
livelihoods, stabilise climate systems, and underpin agriculture and energy
security. But without sustained financing
and stronger policy recognition, this natural infrastructure will continue to
erode.
The real test for governments, investors, and
development partners is whether forests
will finally be financed, governed, and
valued like the critical infrastructure they truly are.
References
- Angelsen, A. et al. (2014). Environmental Income and Rural Livelihoods. CIFOR.
- FAO (2022). Forests and Rural Livelihoods.
- FAO (2023). Global Forest Resources Assessment.
- International Energy Agency (2023). Africa Energy Outlook.
- National Forestry Authority (2024). Uganda Forest Status Report.
- UNEP (2023). State of Finance for Nature.
- United Nations (2023). Sustainable Development Goals Report.
- World Bank (2022). Forests, Trees and Landscapes for Sustainable Development.
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