Forests and woodlands, which cover about 40% of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) total land area, support national economies and rural livelihoods. Therefore, the SADC launched the project of Conservation and Sustainable Management of Forest
Resources in Southern Africa which aims to improve the capacity of members about forest information systems, forest management and wildfire management. The Government of Japan has supported this project through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan
Forest Technology Association (JAFTA).
Fire has shaped African landscapes for about 10 million years. The prolonged dry season has allowed fires to occur across vast grassland and woodland areas where, over time, it has profoundly changed the structure and function of ecosystems. Every year, between half and two thirds
of burned area worldwide is in Africa. Unlike in tropical rainforest, regular fires form a critical component of sound rangeland and ecosystem management in these areas.
