The Ivorian authorities say the country loses about 200,000 hectares of forest annually due to farming and infrastructure development.

LCL Kone Joachim, Assistant to the County Director of the Ministry of Water and Forestry in Bouaké Department, Gbêkê Region, disclosed this on Saturday.

Ms Joachim made the revelation when a delegation from Climate Beyond Border Caravane (CBBC), an initiative of Planet People Peace Foundation (PPPF), paid him a courtesy visit.

The official attributed the losses to expanding infrastructure projects and agricultural activities, warning that pressure on forests would increase significantly by 2030.

According to him, rapid urbanisation, the establishment of new industrial zones, and the expansion of farmlands will further accelerate deforestation across the country.

Ms Joachim noted that deforestation contributes about 12 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, making forest conservation critical to climate action.

He said the ministry had developed a new policy focused on forest preservation, rehabilitation, and expansion to strengthen afforestation efforts nationwide.

The policy, he explained, is built on biodiversity conservation, climate stability, sustainable socio-economic development, and compliance with Côte d’Ivoire’s international commitments.

“In this policy, forest preservation, rehabilitation and expansion efforts will complement those of the State and the national community through public-private partnerships essential for financing implementation.

“Therefore, the ministry calls for national awareness and commitment to forest restoration to ensure the sustainability of forest ecosystems vital to Côte d’Ivoire’s development,” he said.

Ms Joachim expressed concern over forest-related crimes, including poaching, bushfires, illegal sawmilling, and trafficking activities that threaten forests, the environment, and local communities.

Responding, CBBC Lead, Olatunji Francisco, said PPPF recently partnered with E LAFI Foundation on a tree-planting initiative to combat deforestation in Ivory Coast.

Mr Francisco said CBBC is a pan-African, youth-led initiative promoting climate justice, cross-border cooperation, and green economic transformation across the continent. 

(NAN)