Mozambique loses almost 270,000 hectares of forest every year

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Mozambique loses almost 270,000 hectares of forest every year

8:35 CAT | 10 Jun 2024

FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Notícias]

According to the 2018 National Forest Inventory, Mozambique is currently losing 269,000 hectares of forest every year, corresponding to 0.79% of the country’s total 34 million hectares of forest.

The 2007 National Forest Inventory estimated annual losses at around 219,000 hectares.

To address these challenges, the Assembly of the Republic (AR) approved Law no. 17/2023, of December 29, Forestry Law, which comes into force 180 days after the date of its publication and repeals Law no. 10/99 of July 7.

The new law aims to update the principles, objectives and rules on the creation, protection, conservation, access, use, enhancement and supervision of the forestry heritage.

The legal instrument recognizes local communities as the main guardians of forest resources and ensures free access, in accordance with their respective norms and customary practices, to obtain medicinal plants, building materials, wood fuels, wild fruits, cultural goods and others, for their own consumption, exempt from any license, fee or closure.

With the support of the private sector, civil society organisations, local communities and academia, the government is preparing the Draft Regulation of the Forestry Law, on which public debate will begin on June 27.

Source: Lusa