A recent knowledge exchange has transferred lessons from Brazil to Ethiopia and Mozambique on harnessing forests sustainably for economic growth.

There is huge potential for expansion in the forest sector in Africa, but it is hampered by issues such as access to land and finance, and weak prioritization of the sector, says an article in Environment Guru.

Natural forests in both Ethiopia and Mozambique are affected by un-sustainable extraction of timber. Governments of these countries are keen to find ways for their forest sectors to contribute to economic development and reduce rural poverty while being environmentally sustainable.

In Brazil, over 7 million hectares of forest were established between 1964 and 2013, largely as the result of a national policy to replace imports with national production. The country created subsidies to foster forest plantations.

Recently, government and private sector representatives from Ethiopia and Mozambique visited the states of São Paulo and Espírito Santo in Brazil to learn from the country’s experience. They saw first-hand how smallholders are planting and harvesting eucalyptus which is transformed into charcoal and sold to supermarkets, and how a large cellulose pulp factory operates.

In São Paulo, fuel wood users, such as ceramics factories, bakeries and pizza restaurants, are required to pay a fee to replace the renewable fuel used. This fee is transferred to forest associations and used to establish high quality forest plantations.

In Espirito Santo, a state-level payment for ecosystem services has provided almost $3 million to smallholders who replanted native trees, adopted agroforestry systems, improved water supply and preserved native forests.

Read the full story: Lessons on Forests from Brazil to Ethiopia and Mozambique