Haut Sassandra Carbon Credit Project

BACKGROUND

The National Forest Fauna Inventory (IFFN) confirms Côte d'Ivoire's heavy deforestation and reveals that national forest cover is now estimated at 2.97 million hectares in 2020, representing 9.2% of the territory. Only 13.3% of classified forests and 32.2% of protected areas still contain forest cover.

Degradation of these forests therefore contributes to (i) climate change, (ii) deterioration of living conditions and reduction of ecosystem services, (iii) biodiversity loss and erosion of soils and other available resources, creating less favorable conditions for agricultural development and community vitality.

To address the alarming degradation of forests, in May 2018 the Ivorian government adopted the Policy for the Preservation, Rehabilitation, and Expansion of Forests (PREF). Based on the new policy, the Ministry of Water and Forests (MINEF) has defined the Strategy for Forest Preservation, Rehabilitation, and Expansion. It emphasizes the involvement of the private sector in forest management through concessions in order to support the efforts of the State of Côte d'Ivoire in the preservation and rehabilitation of agroforests.

It is in this context that AGROMAP and its partner aDryada have signed an agreement with the Ministry of Water and Forests to rehabilitate degraded areas and conserve biodiversity across 70,000 hectares of the Haut-Sassandra Agroforest.

OBJECTIVES

Contribute to the restoration of Ivory Coast's forest cover by rehabilitating the Haut-Sassandra Agroforest.

Sustainable agroforestry planning and management;
Promote zero deforestation agriculture through reforestation and agroforestry;
Strengthen and increase the livelihoods of communities located on the outskirts of the classified forest;
Ensure good governance of agroforestry;
Assess and generate carbon credits;

EXPECTED RESULTS

A development plan for the Haut-Sassandra Agroforest has been validated and approved;
70,000 hectares of the Haut Sassandra Agroforest have been restored and rehabilitated;
Income-generating activities are developed and agro-ecological transition zones are created;
The structures and governance mechanisms of Agroforestry are in place;
The carbon stock is assessed and managed.