Managing Renewable Natural Capital in Africa

There is a growing evidence suggesting that the ecological degradation in Africa is accelerating faster than the region's economic decline. More seriously, trees in Sub-Saharan Africa are being felled 30 times as fast as they are being replaced; implying the highest rate of deforestation in the world. Unless this trend is slowed down, the increasing demand for woodfuel coupled with high population pressure are capable of destroying the forests in less than sixty years. Our starting point is that corporate organisation to manage common property resources are practiced by many African tribes and local communities. Such a collective action is the best available option to manage a sustainable natural capital. However, the success of this viable remedy goes beyond the means of local administration in Africa. What is needed to strengthen the managerial capabilities of these communities are biological services, sufficient international financial flows and adapted technological advances. The concluding remarks identify a practical format to share the responsibility by all concerned parties in a form of development contract between donor community and African states during the short to medium term of operation.