Despite the wealth in natural resources, poverty remains a major challenge in countries across Africa. The continent is home to 70% of the world's extreme poor, many of whom often rely heavily on forests, trees and the ecosystem services they provide to support their livelihoods. Although often overlooked resources, forests and tree-based systems are vital in efforts to address poverty. However, it is crucial that policy and management measures that enable forests and trees to alleviate poverty are tailored to each specific context.
This policy brief - prepared by the Global Forest Expert Panels (GFEP) Programme of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) - synthesizes key scientific evidence on how forests and tree-based systems affect poverty in Africa. It presents specific policy implications and identifies “win-win” scenarios as well as potential trade-offs. The key messages emphasize the crucial role of forests and trees in poverty alleviation and human well-being in Africa and provide possible paths forward.