By Foday Moriba Conteh
In a joint effort to bolster forest management in Sierra Leone, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the European Union Delegation in Freetown have initiated a series of capacity development activities. This endeavour, titled the “Support to Sustainable Forestry in Sierra Leone,” launched in 2023 with funding from the European Union Delegation and technical support from FAO, aims to enhance sustainable forest practices in the region.
The initiative is pivotal for gathering essential data to inform policy decisions aimed at curbing deforestation, safeguarding biodiversity and fostering sustainable agricultural systems. By bolstering Sierra Leone’s ecosystem productivity and resilience to climate change, the project aligns with broader environmental conservation goals.
A primary focus of the project, dubbed Outcome 1, centers on enhancing data availability and refining procedures for acquiring reliable forest-related data. Leveraging innovative technologies, including the utilization of Collect Earth Online (CEO), the initiative aims to streamline access to critical information and decision-making tools pertinent to forest management and land use practices.
The ongoing efforts seek to overcome barriers hindering efficient and sustainable forest management in Sierra Leone. Through comprehensive training sessions and data collection activities conducted by FAO and the Forestry Division of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Government officials and stakeholders are equipped with the necessary skills to collect, process and interpret geospatial data for land cover classification.
The recent two-week training and data collection activity, attended by representatives from various Government Ministries and Departments, including the Forestry Department, National Protected Areas Authority, and academic institutions, focused on utilizing CEO for land cover information gathering. Participants acquired proficiency in survey design, rule establishment and data quality control, enhancing their capacity for accurate image interpretation and land cover classification.
The outcomes of these activities will be pivotal in shaping the design of the National Forest Inventory (NFI) and bolstering the National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS).
By fostering collaboration among stakeholders and ensuring the availability of accurate land cover datasets, the project aims to fortify Sierra Leone’s forest management capabilities and advance its environmental conservation agenda. Results from the data collection endeavours will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders and interested parties, facilitating informed decision-making and policy formulation.
