Africa: There's need to foster a 'tree revolution'

Across all of the major farming systems in Africa, the need to integrate livelihood needs with biodiversity conservation is becoming a necessity for sustaining productivity, particularly on small-holder farms that dominate rural areas. In the mountain regions of Eastern and Central Africa, land use pressure on fragile ecosystems has led to severe degradation, exposed thousands of poor farmers to food insecurity, and posed a significant threat to native species and habitats. How Africa utilises its resources for development is what will define its ultimate survival. The consequences of a strained environment have manifested themselves in food shortages, conflicts over use of resources, depletion of forest cover, and drought.