Sustainable Forest Management for Green Economy Validation Workshop Takes Place

Addis Ababa 27/2019 Sustainable Forest Management for a Green Economy Validation Workshop is taking place in Addis Ababa with the view to addressing key issues on forests and forest management.

The Sustainable Forest Management for a Green Economy is component of the project ‘Supporting Climate Resilient Green Economy Implementation with Knowledge Management and Research’ funded by Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), it was learned.

It has been running for the past two years.

Opening the workshop, Ahmed Abitew, Director-General of Institute of Policy Studies noted that this component of the project focuses on the forestry sector, which needs additional evidence for the sector to manage sustainable forest management and enhance contribution to the wellbeing of the people and the economy of the country.

The workshop will enrich the study that can advise policymakers to make the right choices to address issues in conservation of forests and protected areas, commercialization of forest products as well as policy and institutions, he added.

Fellow Senior Researcher at Environment and Climate Research Center, Abebe Damtie on his part said the research on the component of the project provides a clue on how to address the challenges in the forestry sector and help achieve the targets on policies and the climate resilient green economy plan of the country.

According to him, the results show that the efforts to enhance agricultural productivity cannot be enough by itself, whereas policies and strategies to conserve forest must align and go together.

Country Office Head of Center for International Forestry Research, Habtemariam Kassa said the conservation works over the past 10 years are not that much satisfying as government activities at the federal level are not cascaded at regional and woreda levels.

He stated that the country has appreciated forest policy and proclamation that "we must work on the implementation of the strategies and policies so as to mobilize the commitment seen in various areas."