policy-briefing-92-051418b5238493ed.pdf

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that effective governance, specifically the devolution of rights to local communities, is the essential 'linchpin' for the sustainable management of Africa's dryland forests. It highlights the economic under-valuation of these ecosystems and calls for policy incentives that align community benefits with conservation efforts.

• Drylands are a critical geographic and demographic feature of Africa, covering approximately 12.5 million km2 (61% of the continent) and supporting 60% of the African population.
• African dryland forests are diverse, including Mopane (560,000 km2) and Miombo (2.5 million km2) woodlands in Southern Africa, Acacia and other dry woodlands (4.5 million km2) in the Horn of Africa, and Parkia and Acacia systems in the West African Sahel (5 million km2).
• While climate change is a major threat, the document suggests that land use changes and the removal of rights for forest-dependent communities may be more insidious threats to dryland forests.
• Sustainable management requires that communities have legally entrenched rights and that responsibilities are devolved to the lowest accountable level to avoid replacing time-honoured institutions with administratively expedient government power.
• Dryland forests are economically under-valued in national decision-making, despite providing significant income; for example, the gum arabic trade in Sudan was valued at $80 million in 2011, and Shea butter in the Sahel generates annual revenues of $90–$200 million.
• In Shinyanga, Tanzania, the restoration of over 300,000 ha of Miombo and Acacia woodland by Sukuma agro-pastoralists since 1985 demonstrated an economic value 1.4 times higher than agriculture, providing $14 per person per month for approximately 2.25 million people.
• To ensure sustainable management, economic incentives must make conservation more beneficial than degradation, utilizing measures such as benefit-sharing, forest-based market development, local income alternatives, and direct payments.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (n.d.). policy-briefing-92-051418b5238493ed.pdf. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Policy-Briefing-92.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. policy-briefing-92-051418b5238493ed.pdf. n.d. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Policy-Briefing-92.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=policy-briefing-92-051418b5238493ed.pdf |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Policy-Briefing-92.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairsndpolicybriefing92051418b5238493edpdf, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{policy-briefing-92-051418b5238493ed.pdf}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Policy-Briefing-92.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }