A Synoptic Review of Forestry and Forest Products Trade and Production in Africa- The Case of Wood and Non-Wood Forest Products in West Africa

According to this study, approximately half of Africa's forests are utilized primarily or partially for the production of wood and non-wood commodities. Aims to evaluate Africa's forestry and forest products, namely Wood Forest Products (WFPs) and Non-wood Forest Products (NWFPs) in the sixteen (16) West African countries. While adhering to the following guidelines: wood extraction and preparation, analyzing wood primarily used as an energy source in Africa, identifying non-wood forest products in Africa, the state of export, trade, and customs procedures in West Africa, and examining the role of forests and forest stakeholders in Africa's low-carbon economy transition. An exploratory literature review of selected wood forest products and non-wood forest products (plants and animals) in West Africa identifying the country, the natural land area with the natural habitat issues of the forest, the species most harvested and traded in the West African sub-region. The study reemphasized some government legislation, policies, and market trade failures and limitations while also stating that trees may help in the low-carbon revolution through interventions aimed at maintaining, improving, and restoring natural capital have demonstrated that high environmental requirements of sustainable forest management (SFM) may be met in both natural and planted forests. The study identified a systematic assessment of the most common forest products (wood and non-wood forest products) considering the available data on the national forest reserves of the selected countries in West Africa. The study also revealed the need for biodiversity conservation of the available forest reserves to help mitigate the impact of global warming targeting the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 13- Climate Action. Which is focused on integrating climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning signs into the national policies, improving forest planning and management education, awareness-raising, and institutional capacity within the sub-region.

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Modeling gas exchange and biomass production in West African Sahelian and Sudanian ecological zones

Geoscientific Model Development ◽

10.5194/gmd-14-3789-2021 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (6) ◽

pp. 3789-3812

Author(s):

Jaber Rahimi ◽

Expedit Evariste Ago ◽

Augustine Ayantunde ◽

Sina Berger ◽

Jan Bogaert ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

West Africa ◽

Aboveground Biomass ◽

Carbon Stocks ◽

West African ◽

Biogeochemical Model ◽

Area Index ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Impact ◽

Mean Square Errors

Abstract. West African Sahelian and Sudanian ecosystems provide essential services to people and also play a significant role within the global carbon cycle. However, climate and land use are dynamically changing, and uncertainty remains with respect to how these changes will affect the potential of these regions to provide food and fodder resources or how they will affect the biosphere–atmosphere exchange of CO2. In this study, we investigate the capacity of a process-based biogeochemical model, LandscapeDNDC, to simulate net ecosystem exchange (NEE) and aboveground biomass of typical managed and natural Sahelian and Sudanian savanna ecosystems. In order to improve the simulation of phenology, we introduced soil-water availability as a common driver of foliage development and productivity for all of these systems. The new approach was tested by using a sample of sites (calibration sites) that provided NEE from flux tower observations as well as leaf area index data from satellite images (MODIS, MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer). For assessing the simulation accuracy, we applied the calibrated model to 42 additional sites (validation sites) across West Africa for which measured aboveground biomass data were available. The model showed good performance regarding biomass of crops, grass, or trees, yielding correlation coefficients of 0.82, 0.94, and 0.77 and root-mean-square errors of 0.15, 0.22, and 0.12 kg m−2, respectively. The simulations indicate aboveground carbon stocks of up to 0.17, 0.33, and 0.54 kg C ha−1 m−2 for agricultural, savanna grasslands, and savanna mixed tree–grassland sites, respectively. Carbon stocks and exchange rates were particularly correlated with the abundance of trees, and grass biomass and crop yields were higher under more humid climatic conditions. Our study shows the capability of LandscapeDNDC to accurately simulate carbon balances in natural and agricultural ecosystems in semiarid West Africa under a wide range of conditions; thus, the model could be used to assess the impact of land-use and climate change on the regional biomass productivity.

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Decarbonising UK transport: Implications for electricity generation, land use and policy

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-122 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kathryn G. Logan ◽

John D. Nelson ◽

James D. Chapman ◽

Jenny Milne ◽

Astley Hastings

Keyword(s):

Public Transport ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Electricity Generation ◽

Natural Capital ◽

Full Range ◽

Offshore Wind ◽

Electric Transport ◽

Low Carbon ◽

Net Zero ◽

The Impact

Transitioning away from internal combustion engine private vehicles in favour of public transport, including electric and hydrogen alternatives, is recognised as an essential part of the solution to reduce the scale of climate change and meet net zero in the UK by 2050. This decarbonisation transition to low carbon transport will likely result in an increase in energy demand which will have impacts on both ecosystem services (ES) and natural capital (NC). Robust projections of societal energy demands post low carbon transition are therefore required to ensure adequate power generation is installed. In this study, we project the energy demand for electric and hydrogen cars, buses and trains between 2020 and 2050 based on the number of vehicles and distance travelled using the Transport Energy Air Pollution UK (TEAM-UK) model outputs. In this work, the spatial requirements of additional renewable energy (onshore/offshore wind and solar), nuclear and fossil fuels, on ES and NC was predicted by considering the expected electricity generation mix expected by 2050, the number of generation installations and energy density of each energy source. The outcomes of this analysis can assist policymakers in better understanding what energy types and transport networks need to be prioritised to efficiently meet net zero. Legislation requires increased low carbon electricity generation, though the impact on ES and NC are not currently quantified.Energy demand was lower for electric transport (136,599 GWh) than hydrogen transport (425,532 GWh) for all vehicle types in 2050, however a combination of both power types will be needed to accommodate the full range of socioeconomic requirements. In addition, to power electrical transport, 1,515 km2 of land will be required for solar, 1,672 km2 for wind and 5 km2 for expansion of the average nuclear power station by 2050. This will be approximately doubled for hydrogen provision due to the additional energy and conversions required to generate hydrogen.In reality the finer scale mix between hydrogen and electric transport types in the future will depend on geographical location and resource availability. Rural areas may favour hydrogen power due to range restrictions, with electric transport more readily suited to urban areas with greater installed infrastructure. To reduce the requirements for additional electricity and maximise carbon output decreases, minimising the impact on NC and ES, policymakers need to focus on encouraging a modal shift towards low carbon public transport from private vehicles and to ensure a more sustainable route to decarbonising transport.

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From Sail to Steam: the Impact of the Steamship Services on the British Palm Oil Trade with West Africa, 1850–1890.

The Journal of African History ◽

10.1017/s0021853700024117 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 227-245 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Martin Lynn

Keyword(s):

Nineteenth Century ◽

West Africa ◽

Palm Oil ◽

West African ◽

Late Nineteenth Century ◽

The West ◽

Important Impact ◽

Late Nineteenth ◽

The Impact

In the late nineteenth century the West African palm oil trade entered a period of difficulties, characterized mainly by a fall in prices from the early 1860s. Part of the reason for this lay in the introduction of regular steamship services between Britain and West Africa from 1852. As steam came to replace sail so the palm oil trade underwent major changes. These changes can be quantified fairly precisely. One effect of the introduction of steamers was the concentration of the British side of the oil trade once again on Liverpool, its original centre. Another effect was the increase in the number of West African ports involved in the trade. The most important impact was the increase in numbers of traders in oil trade from around 25 to some 150. The resulting increased competition in the trade led to amal-gamations becoming increasingly common – a process that culminated in the formation of the African Association Ltd in 1889. It was also to provide the context for the pressure exerted by some traders for an increased colonial presence in the 1880s and 1890s.

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Rethinking the Impact of Structural Adjustment Programs on Human Rights Violations in West Africa

Perspectives on Global Development and Technology ◽

10.1163/15691497-12341291 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 13 (1-2) ◽

pp. 87-110 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Lotsmart Fonjong

Keyword(s):

Human Rights ◽

West Africa ◽

Structural Adjustment ◽

West African ◽

Human Rights Abuses ◽

Structural Adjustment Programs ◽

Liberalization Policy ◽

The Impact ◽

Public Demonstrations ◽

Country Specific

Abstract In this article I argue that the worsening human rights situation of West Africa in the early 1990s was largely the creation of the structural adjustment policies (SAP) of the IMF/World Bank. The austerity measures implemented through SAP plunged the region into hardship, forcing the population to demand better living conditions through public demonstrations and protests. Attempts by the West African states to contain protesters led to further human rights abuses. The implementation of a common liberalization policy across board without taking into account the specificities of each country was counterproductive. In fact, some of the excesses recorded could have been avoided if SAPs had been country specific and human rights-based.

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The Role of Finding Out in Type 2 Diabetes Management among West-African Immigrants Living in the UK

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18116037 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 6037

Author(s):

Folashade Alloh ◽

Ann Hemingway ◽

Angela Turner-Wilson

Keyword(s):

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

West Africa ◽

Diabetes Management ◽

African Immigrants ◽

West African ◽

Theory Approach ◽

The Uk ◽

West African Immigrants ◽

The Impact

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) prevalence is three times higher among West African Immigrants compared to the general population in the UK. The challenges of managing T2DM among this group have resulted in complications. Reports have highlighted the impact of migration on the health of the immigrant population, and this has contributed to the need to understand the influence of living in West Africa, and getting diagnosed with T2DM, in the management of their condition in the UK. Using a qualitative constructivist grounded theory approach, thirty-four West African immigrants living in the UK were recruited for this study. All participants were interviewed using Semi-structured interviews. After coding transcripts, concepts emerged including noticing symptoms, delayed diagnosis, affordability of health services, beliefs about health, feelings at diagnosis, and emotions experienced at diagnosis all contribute to finding out about diagnosis T2DM. These factors were linked to living in West Africa, among participants, and played significant roles in managing T2DM in the UK. These concepts were discussed under finding out as the overarching concept. Findings from this study highlight important aspects of T2DM diagnosis and how lived experiences, of living in West Africa and the UK, contribute to managing T2DM among West African immigrants. The findings of this study can be valuable for healthcare services supporting West African immigrants living in the UK.

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Statistical Connection between the Madden–Julian Oscillation and Large Daily Precipitation Events in West Africa

Journal of Climate ◽

10.1175/jcli-d-16-0144.1 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 30 (6) ◽

pp. 1999-2010 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Awolou Sossa ◽

Brant Liebmann ◽

Ileana Bladé ◽

Dave Allured ◽

Harry H. Hendon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Daily Precipitation ◽

Statistical Tests ◽

West African ◽

Seasonal Precipitation ◽

Madden Julian Oscillation ◽

Wet Season ◽

Precipitation Regime ◽

The Impact ◽

Precipitation Events

Abstract This study focuses on the impact of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO)—as monitored by a well-known multivariate index—on large daily precipitation events in West Africa for the period 1981–2014. Two seasons are considered: the near-equatorial wet season in March–May (MAM) and the peak of the West African monsoon during July–September (JAS), when the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is at its most northerly position. Although the MJO-related interannual variation of seasonal mean rainfall is large, the focus here is on the impacts of the MJO on daily time scales because variations in the frequency of intense, short-term, flood-causing, rainfall events are more important for West African agriculture than variations in seasonal precipitation, particularly near the Guinean coast, where precipitation is abundant. Using composites based on thresholds of daily precipitation amounts, changes in mean precipitation and frequency of the heaviest daily events associated with the phase of the MJO are investigated. The expected modulation of mean rainfall by the MJO is much stronger during MAM than during JAS; yet the modulation of the largest events (i.e., daily rainfall rates above the 90th percentile) is comparable in both seasons. Conservative statistical tests of local and field significance indicate unambiguous impacts of the MJO of the expected sign during certain phases, but the nature of the impact depends on the local seasonal precipitation regime. For instance, in JAS, the early stages of the MJO increase the risk of flooding in the Sahel monsoon region while providing relief to the dry southern coast.

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Weak effects of fire, large herbivores, and their interaction on regrowth of harvested trees in two West African savannas

10.7287/peerj.preprints.718v1 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Andrew Tredennick ◽

Moussa Karembé ◽

Fadiala Dembélé ◽

Justin Dohn ◽

Niall Hanan

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Growing Season ◽

West African ◽

Tree Cover ◽

Wood Production ◽

Top Down ◽

Large Herbivores ◽

Density And Biomass ◽

The Impact ◽

Cover Density

Theory and empirical evidence for the impacts of fire and herbivory in savannas is well established – they are top-down disturbances that maintain savannas in disequilibrium states away from potential tree cover. In African savannas the demand for fuelwood is extremely high, so tree harvest likely also has an impact, both directly and indirectly, on tree cover, density, and biomass. Many savanna trees resprout vigorously from the base after harvest. However, harvested trees regenerate as saplings susceptible to fire and browsing, so harvest may have important demographic consequences. Here, we report the effects of tree harvest, and its interaction with fire and herbivory, on savanna dynamics by analyzing woody regrowth following a harvest in arid Sahelian and mesic Guinean savannas in Mali, West Africa. Tree harvest resulted in an overall reduction in wood production per tree compared to growth in non-harvested trees. Regrowth, either biomass or height, did not differ among fire and herbivory treatments. Our results suggest that the resprouting abilities that savanna trees have evolved to cope with frequent fire are essential for surviving tree harvest and subsequent disturbance. In these savannas, regrowth is rapid enough in the first growing season to escape the impact of dry season fires.

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Effects of Exchange Rate Volatility on Trade: Evidence from West Africa

Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies ◽

10.22610/jebs.v12i3(j).3009 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (3(J)) ◽

pp. 32-52

Author(s):

Pabai Fofanah

Keyword(s):

Exchange Rate ◽

West Africa ◽

Trade Balance ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Random Effect ◽

Exchange Rate Volatility ◽

West African ◽

African Countries ◽

Goods And Services ◽

The Impact

The objective of this paper has been to investigate the impact of exchange rate volatility on trade in the context of exports, imports, and the trade balance in West Africa. Applying the pooled Ordinary Least Square, the fixed effects, and the random effect models, and obtaining robust estimates for export and trade balance models by employing xtgls, panels (correlated) Corr (ar1), and adopting xtscc, fe regression with Driscoll-Kraay standard error to estimate the import model. The empirical results show that the impact of exchange rate volatility on exports and imports is insignificant. However, the result of the trade balance model shows a positive and significant link between exchange rate volatility and the trade balance. Thus, suggesting that traders tend to engage more in export activities with an increase in exchange rate volatility. Also, the analysis suggests that depreciation of the real exchange rate will lead to a decrease in exports. Thereby, confirming the limited production capability and heavy reliance on imported goods and services. Hence, this study recommends diversification of production activities and adopting strategies aiming at reducing dependence on imported goods and services. The empirical result shows a positive association between an increase in domestic economic activities of trading partners and exports of the West African countries. This implies that West African countries must engage in trade with countries that have a high economic growth rate. The result also shows a positive link between inflation rate and imports. This suggests the implementation of effective monetary policies geared towards controlling inflation.

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Differences in Colonial Experience and the Institution-Economic Growth Nexus in West Africa

Jurnal Institutions and Economies ◽

10.22452/ijie.vol13no2.2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 27-58

Author(s):

Isiaka Akande Raifu ◽

Obianuju Ogochukwu Nnadozie ◽

Olaide Sekinat Opeloyeru

Keyword(s):

Economic Growth ◽

West Africa ◽

West African ◽

African Countries ◽

Institutional Variables ◽

Panel Data Estimation ◽

Quality Of Institutions ◽

Colonial Experience ◽

The Impact

Does the quality of institutions affect economic growth in West African countries? Which institutional variable aids or harms economic growth in the region? Is the effect of institutions on economic growth in former French-colonised countries different from that of British-colonised countries? This study addresses these questions. Specifically, we first examined the effect of six institutional variables on economic growth for each of the 13 West African countries. Then, we employed panel data estimation techniques to examine the overall effect of the quality of institutions on the economies of the region. Finally, we grouped the 13 countries into French-colonised and British colonised countries following the argument of Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson (2001,2005) and then examined the impact of institutional quality on the economic growth of these subgroups. Our findings reveal that the effect of institutional variables on the economy of each country varies. Overall, we find that government stability and democratic accountability have a positive and significant influence on economic growth, while control of corruption and socioeconomic conditions have deleterious effects on economic growth. Finally, institutions contribute positively to economic growth in French-colonised countries compared to British-colonised countries. The results imply that there is a need to strengthen institutions in West Africa, especially in former British colonies.

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Perceived Effects of Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events on Forests and Forest-Based Livelihoods in Malawi

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su132111748 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (21) ◽

pp. 11748

Author(s):

Harold L. W. Chisale ◽

Paxie W. Chirwa ◽

Folaranmi D. Babalola ◽

Samuel O. M. Manda

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

High Temperatures ◽

Forest Products ◽

Extreme Weather ◽

Extreme Weather Events ◽

Forest Reserves ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Weather Events ◽

Strong Winds ◽

The Impact

The emerging risks and impacts of climate change and extreme weather events on forest ecosystems present significant threats to forest-based livelihoods. Understanding climate change and its consequences on forests and the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities could support forest-based strategies for responding to climate change. Using perception-based assessment principles, we assessed the effects of climate change and extreme weather events on forests and forest-based livelihood among the forest-dependent communities around the Mchinji and Phirilongwe Forest Reserves in the Mchinji and Mangochi districts in Malawi. Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The impact of erratic rainfall, high temperatures, strong winds, flooding, and droughts was investigated using logistic regression models. The respondents perceived increasing erratic rainfall, high temperatures, strong winds, flooding, and droughts as key extreme climate events in their locality. These results varied significantly between the study sites (p < 0.05). Erratic rainfall was perceived to pose extended effects on access to the forest in both Phirilongwe in Mangochi (43%) and Mchinji (61%). Climate change was found to be associated with reduced availability of firewood, thatch grasses, fruits and food, vegetables, mushrooms, and medicinal plants (p < 0.05). Erratic rainfall and high temperatures were more likely perceived to cause reduced availability of essential forest products, and increased flooding and strong winds were less likely attributed to any effect on forest product availability. The study concludes that climate change and extreme weather events can affect the access and availability of forest products for livelihoods. Locally based approaches such as forest products domestication are recommended to address threats to climate-sensitive forest-based livelihoods.

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