Managing trade-offs between growing food and conserving forests in sub-Saharan Africa

Managing trade-offs between growing food and conserving forests in sub-Saharan Africa
Phil Franks, Xiaoting Hou-​Jones
Briefing, 4 pages

A new IIED policy briefing explores the trade-offs between growing food and conserving forests in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Governments in sub-Saharan Africa face a dilemma: how to reconcile pledges to feed fast-growing populations with forest conservation? Since imports, waste reduction and yield increases are rarely sufficient to meet future food demand, agriculture will continue to expand at the expense of forests. 

Based on research in Ethiopia, Ghana and Tanzania, this briefing provides pointers towards better managing the inevitable trade-offs, emphasising the importance of addressing governance and political economy issues alongside technical aspects.