The African Forest Forum (AFF) continues to advance its role as a continental science–policy platform by convening national policy dialogues aimed at strengthening the integration of forestry into biodiversity governance frameworks. In 2025, AFF held two national policy dialogues in Nigeria and Madagascar, bringing together diverse stakeholders to align forest governance with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), national development priorities, and global biodiversity commitments.
The dialogues were supported through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)–funded project "Transforming the African Forest Forum to enhance its capacity to improve livelihoods and environmental stability through better management of African forest and tree resources." The project seeks to generate, synthesize, and share African context-specific knowledge that promotes the sustainable management of forests and trees outside forests in the context of climate change, while enhancing human well-being and environmental protection.
Across both countries, the policy dialogues aimed to strengthen coordination among public policies related to forest biodiversity by improving the integration of forestry into CBD-related processes, national governance instruments, and sectoral frameworks.
A Unified National Dialogue Process: Lessons from Nigeria and Madagascar
AFF implemented a harmonized national policy dialogue approach in Nigeria (15–17 September 2025, Abuja) and Madagascar (23–25 September 2025), working closely with national CBD focal points and relevant ministries to strengthen the integration of forestry into biodiversity governance instruments and related sectoral processes. Across both countries, the dialogues convened a total of 58 participants from government institutions, academia and research bodies, civil society organizations, community-based organizations, development partners, youth and women's groups, the media, and technical experts in forestry, biodiversity, and energy.
Guided by the shared theme of strengthening forestry–biodiversity integration for improved forest biodiversity management, the dialogues examined how forestry is addressed within CBD frameworks, National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs), and wider national governance instruments. Participants assessed opportunities, constraints, and institutional gaps, while identifying practical entry points to improve policy coherence and coordination across sectors.
Evidence-Informed Deliberations
In both countries, the three-day dialogues combined technical presentations with participatory working sessions. Evidence from national and regional studies informed discussions on:
- Integration of forestry into biodiversity governance instruments and sectoral policies;
- Development of climate-resilient value chains for biodiversity-related products and services;
- Sustainability determinants of wood- and tree-based energy systems; and
- Linkages between forest biodiversity, livelihoods, and climate change responses.
Participants worked in thematic groups focusing on policy coherence, institutional opportunities, barriers and constraints, and strategies to capitalize on opportunities while addressing systemic challenges. This process ensured that dialogue outcomes were grounded in scientific evidence while reflecting national priorities and stakeholder realities.
Roadmaps for Action and Policy Alignment
A key outcome of both dialogues was the co-development of national forestry–biodiversity integration roadmaps, aligned with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) and respective NBSAPs. The roadmaps articulate priority actions, lead institutions, key stakeholders, indicative timelines, performance indicators, and financing considerations at national and subnational levels.
Common priorities emerging from both countries included:
- Strengthening institutional and human capacity for forestry–biodiversity integration;
- Improving coordination mechanisms and policy coherence across sectors;
- Aligning CBD–NBSAP indicators with broader national development and sectoral frameworks;
- Enhancing data systems, monitoring platforms, and harmonized methodologies;
- Establishing pilot sites to demonstrate sustainable forest management and multi-resource development; and
- Scaling up financial mobilization and innovative partnerships to support implementation.
In Nigeria, the dialogue also resulted in a communiqué emphasizing the need for comprehensive biodiversity and forest resource assessments, mainstreaming forestry and biodiversity into national budgeting processes, fair valuation and pricing of forest resources, innovation at the nature–business interface, and inclusive participation of women, youth, vulnerable groups, and local communities.
Strengthening Inclusive and Coordinated Forest Governance
Across both national contexts, the dialogues reinforced a shared commitment to more inclusive, coordinated, and evidence-based forest governance. By convening diverse actors and anchoring discussions in scientific research and national policy priorities, the dialogues created practical platforms for translating biodiversity commitments into actionable forestry policies.
Building on AFF's Continental Research and Policy Agenda
The national policy dialogues in Nigeria and Madagascar build on AFF's 2024 studies on Africa's forest biodiversity hotspots, which examined how biodiversity, desertification, and climate change policies influence forest management across the continent. These studies have also explored climate-resilient value chains for biodiversity products and services, the integration of traditional and indigenous knowledge into forest-based livelihoods, and the promotion of renewable, efficient, and socially inclusive biomass energy options.
Through these dialogues, AFF is empowering government agencies, civil society organizations, private sector actors, local communities, women, and youth to take coordinated, evidence-based action for sustainable forest management. Strengthening environmental governance and policy coherence remains critical to ensuring the sustainable supply of ecosystem goods and services that underpin socio-economic development and human well-being across Africa.