Boswelia neglecta Kenya
Women cleaning Gum Arabic in Somali land
Woman and children cleaning Gum Arabic in Niger
The NEFEA team with President Yoweri Museveni in Uganda
Cleaned Gum Arabic in NigerNetwork on Forest Enterprises in Africa (NEFEA)
I am happy to inform you that “The Network for Natural Gums and Resins in Africa (NGARA)” has been rebranded as “The Network on Forest Enterprises in Africa (NEFEA)”. Established in 2000 by sixteen member countries in the Sahel and Horn of Africa and nurtured by FAO in collaboration with the African Union Commision (AUC) until 2018 when it was formally registered as an International NGO by the Kenya NGOs Coordination Board, NGARA has played a great role of raising the profile of the African gums and resins among the key NTFPs to the global arena. In the process, NGARA has helped develop the gums and resins sector in the member countries by assisting to understand better the gums and reins producing species, characterize the properties of the commodities and how to distinguish them from possible adulterants thereby enhancing quality control, developing and streamlining the value chains and benefit sharing arrangements and linking producers to markets. Livelihoods of most communities and the contribution of gums and resins to the economies of member countries have improved drastically. The role of the resources in environmental conservation and especially with the advent of climate change has become more acknowledged. There is better collaboration between the Anglophone and Francophone speaking African countries and an evolving inter-regional trade. The accrued benefits are many. Thanks to our partners, the members governments and local communities who have been supportive and participated actively.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS BY NEFEA
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NEFEA’s Impact:Transforming African communities through sustainable forest commodities and products production.
NEFEA has achieved significant milestones in promoting the sustainable production of natural forest commodities and products in Africa. Through our collaborative efforts with local communities, we have created economic opportunites, preserved biodiversity, and supported the livelihoods of thousands of people.
NEFEA intends to build on the achievements of NGARA by working with communities, companies in the forest sector and governments in enhancing value addition to various forest commodities locally and regionally to high standards for local and international markets
NEFEA has implemented projects with partners at the country level and regionally.
NEFEA is playing an increasingly important role in encouraging the exchange of information on forest commodities and products production and trade; training; technology transfer; the assessment of resources and their sustainable use; enhancing the capacities of stakeholders in member countries; and harnessing the efficient use of available resources by strengthening synergies. The establishment of NEFEA was a significant step in the development of the commercial forest commodities and products sector in Africa as a way of increasing food security, assisting rural development and alleviating poverty.
Key Partners
