Deforestation in Africa involves the conversion of forest land to other uses, depleting tree cover. Africa loses approximately 3.9 million hectares of forest annually between 2010 and 2020. This rate is nearly double the global average. African forests regulate climate and provide resources and livelihoods for millions. The Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest, is particularly affected by this widespread forest loss.
Agricultural Expansion
Agricultural expansion stands as the primary driver of deforestation across Africa, accounting for roughly 75 percent of all forest loss. This agricultural pressure stems from both small-scale subsistence farming and large-scale commercial operations.
Small-scale farming, particularly shifting cultivation, represents the largest direct cause of deforestation in Africa, contributing to 97 percent of agriculture-driven forest clearing. This involves felling and burning forest for crops until soil nutrients deplete. Land is then abandoned for recovery, but the cycle repeats on new areas due to population demands.
Large-scale commercial agriculture also contributes to forest conversion, driven by international market demands and land acquisitions. Cash crops like cocoa, especially in West Africa (e.g., Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana), require substantial land, leading to forest clearing. Palm oil and soy production, though less dominant than cocoa, also contribute to the expansion of agricultural frontiers.
Africa’s increasing population intensifies demand for agricultural land. Africa’s population has grown by over one billion people and is projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, with Sub-Saharan Africa exhibiting the world’s highest fertility rates. This growth translates into a greater need for food and new settlements, exacerbating deforestation. Studies indicate that a one percent increase in population growth can lead to a 2.7 percent increase in deforestation rates through the expansion of agricultural land.
Fuelwood and Charcoal Production
Reliance on fuelwood and charcoal for energy significantly contributes to deforestation in Africa. This practice is largely driven by energy poverty, as many households lack access to modern energy sources.
An estimated 657 million people, or about 80 percent of Africa’s population, depend on traditional biomass for cooking and heating. In Sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 900 million people lack clean cooking facilities, with 81 percent of households using wood-based biomass.
Demand for fuelwood and charcoal intensifies with urbanization and population growth, especially in urban centers where charcoal is a primary cooking fuel. This constant demand often leads to unsustainable harvesting practices. For instance, Zambia experiences an annual loss of approximately 300,000 hectares of forested land, largely attributed to charcoal production.
Traditional charcoal production methods are often inefficient, wasting wood resources and increasing carbon emissions. This unsustainable extraction pressures forests, leading to degradation and clearing. Energy poverty, population increase, and reliance on biomass fuels perpetuate this deforestation.
Logging and Timber Extraction
Logging and timber extraction, both legal and illegal, contribute to deforestation in Africa. Demand for wood (construction, furniture, paper) drives forest clearing. Demand is domestic and international, with high-value timber sought globally.
Illegal logging is a pervasive issue, a growing component of transnational organized crime. African countries collectively lose an estimated $17 billion annually due to these illicit activities. Much illegally sourced timber, especially rosewood, reaches international markets, with China a major importer. The illegal trade is often facilitated by corruption and bribery, undermining efforts to regulate forest use.
Logging has environmental consequences, including amplified climate change effects and a reduction in biodiversity. Beyond direct tree removal, logging operations involve new roads penetrating previously inaccessible forest areas. These roads, built for timber transport, open forests to further exploitation by other actors, including poachers and small-scale farmers.
Infrastructure Development
Large-scale infrastructure projects are another significant driver of deforestation across Africa. These developments include the construction of roads, railways, dams, and the expansion of mining operations. Such projects directly clear forest land for their footprint and, more broadly, open up previously remote areas to further human activities.
Road construction, for example, has dramatically increased access to relatively unexploited regions, particularly within the Congo Basin. The total length of roads in the Congo Basin increased by 60 percent between 2003 and 2018, and the rate of forest destruction linked to new roads quadrupled since 2000. These new access routes facilitate not only commercial activities but also enable illegal logging, poaching, and the establishment of small-scale agricultural plots in previously undisturbed forest areas.
Mining activities also contribute to forest loss, as land is cleared for extraction sites and associated infrastructure. While the direct area cleared for mines can be substantial, the indirect impacts are often more widespread. Artisanal mining, for instance, attracts surrounding communities, leading to the establishment of settlements and farmlands around mining sites, which can result in deforestation impacts 28 times larger than the mine itself. Changes in the international price of commodities like gold have been linked to an increase in artisanal mining, accounting for about 8 percent of predicted deforestation in Africa. Additionally, the rising demand for minerals like cobalt has contributed to forest loss in mining regions.