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Fungal Conservation in Sub-Saharan Africa:
sustainability and livelihood implications
In August 2023, as part of Activity 2 of the Fungal Conservation in Sub-Sahara Africa (FC-SSA), Darwin Main Project 30-020, a team led by Mr. GNANANDO Saidou, Field Collaborator and Executive Director of the NGO REDERC, conducted a mission in targeted areas. The objective of this was to reforest degraded sites in five different forests using Afzelia Africana plants. The selection of beneficiary forests, including Papatia Botanical Garden, sacred forests of Sinaisiré, and community forests of Tassigourou, Tamadé, and Kobourou, was based on factors like degradation level, forest size, and density of ectomycorrhizal trees, determined from previous inventory missions. During this mission, 600 Afzelia Africana plants were planted, with allocation detailed in a table. The teams, comprising 6 to 8 members each, adhered to a gender equality approach, ensuring 3 to 4 women in each team. Team composition was determined based on the number of plants to be planted in each specific forest, aligning with our commitment to gender balance and effective reforestation efforts.