The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO, has released the 2021 edition of the Africa Forest and Landscape Restoration Journal. 

The launch took place during Climate Week, which also coincided with the United Nations Ecosystem Decade.

The Journal recommends further action to seize the continent's opportunity in returning land to sustainable production, biodiversity protection and livelihoods in the fight against climate change.

FAO's Regional Representative for Africa, Abebe Haile-Gabriel, said the increasing disappearance of forests cost Africa an annual loss of 3% of GDP. According to him, 60 per cent of Africans depend on land and forests.

The expert stated that "degraded forest landscapes intensify the effects of climate change and are a barrier to building prosperous and resilient communities".

Veronic Njie reports.