Deforestation remains a critical global issue, with 10 million hectares of forests lost every year and an additional 70 million hectares due to fires. This poses considerable challenges for countries where the population primarily depends on forests for subsistence. Not only do forests provide jobs and support livelihoods, but they also offer essential ecosystem services such as water regulation and flood protection.
Efforts to mitigate deforestation emphasize the need for sustainable livelihoods for communities living near forests. Liberia, a West African nation, serves as an example of this approach. More than half of its population resides near tropical forests, which cover 43.4 percent of the country but have been diminishing at an annual rate of 0.7 percent from 2000 to 2015.
The Liberia Forest Sector Project, a $36.7 million initiative, has brought substantial advantages to forest management and community involvement in Liberia. From 2016 to 2023, the project successfully enhanced governance, measurement systems, and institutional arrangements related to forests.
Community enhancement initiatives within the project prioritized financial resilience against climate change and boosting sustainable forest economies. According to the project, "strengthened local community governance structures" and the introduction of "volunteer savings and loan associations" were pivotal in fostering sustainable agriculture and forest-based community enterprises.
Measurement, reporting, and verification systems designed by the Liberia project provided a better foundation for decision-making by tracking emissions and deforestation metrics. Meanwhile, regulatory improvements strengthened the capacity of Liberia's Forestry Development Authority and Environmental Protection Agency, ultimately enhancing transparency and governance in forest conservation.
In parks and reserves like Sapo National Park, the project "enhanced management effectiveness and created local value chains around sustainably harvested forest products." This development increased job opportunities and ensured better conservation outcomes.
Since its launch in October 2024, the World Bank’s Global Challenge Program: Forests for Development, Climate, and Biodiversity (GCP-F) offers guidance for Liberia’s future in sustainable forest management. The program aims to bolster regulatory frameworks, invest in biodiversity conservation, support resource management, and improve market access for small producers.
Continued effort is needed to secure meaningful economic opportunities in forest-based sectors, ensuring Liberia’s forests remain a sustainable income source intertwined with the population’s well-being. For further insights, refer to the Liberia Forest Sector Project's detailed outcomes in the results report.