HIV/AIDS: A Risk to the Social and Economic Sustainability of Forestry in Sub-Saharan Africa?

SUMMARY The purpose of this paper is to analyse what we know about the impacts of HIV/AIDS on the forest sector in sub-Saharan Africa and summarise the implications for policy and programming. A review of the evidence base on the effects of the epidemic and an analysis of the interface between HIV/AIDS and forestry indicate that forestry has an important role to play in preventing the spread of HIV, in mitigating epidemic impacts and in addressing treatment issues. Four areas of response are proposed: a) mainstreaming HIV/AIDS issues in forest policy and programming; b) prioritising the sustainability and access of forest benefits (particularly fuelwood, food and medicine) for vulnerable individuals, households and communities; c) setting up HIV/AIDS workplace programmes for forestry institutions and industries; and d) building the capacity of forestry institutions to address HIV/AIDS through specialised training courses, curriculum revision, new technologies, improved practices and scenario-building exercises.