Learning Event summary
Join us for the second in our series of virtual business brown bags on “Understanding deforestation risks in supply chains” to explore how companies can better identify and address deforestation risks across the world’s major forest frontiers!
This session brings together experts in monitoring deforestation risks with companies actively navigating the challenge in the region. Whether you’re starting your sustainability journey or strengthening existing practices, these sessions will help you make sense of the shifting landscape – and take action.
Register now at the link above or read on for a session primer.
Regional context
Tropical Africa faces severe deforestation pressure, having lost approximately 22% of its forested area since 1900. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), nearly 4 million hectares of African forests, an area comparable to the size of Switzerland, are cut down each year, at almost double the speed of the world’s deforestation average. In the centre of the continent, one major forest system is particularly at risk: the Congo Basin rainforest, covering around 2 million square kilometres, where over a quarter of these forests risk vanishing by 2050 if current rates persist.
What’s driving deforestation
Agriculture is the primary driver, accounting for around 75% of deforestation in the region. This includes both subsistence farming and industrial agriculture. Cocoa production, concentrated in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon, replaced 848,000 hectares of forest and was responsible for clearing one quarter of Côte d’Ivoire’s forests and 10% of Ghana’s trees between 2001 and 2014. Palm oil expansion also contributes significantly, with nearly two-thirds of palm oil expansion occurring at the expense of forest due to mainly unauthorised land conversion. Logging, mining, and settlement expansion further amplify forest loss, often facilitated by weak governance and illegal land conversion.
Supply chain initiatives
Regional and sector-specific initiatives are emerging to address these challenges and support companies in managing supply chain risks:
- The Cocoa and Forests Initiative (CFI) is a joint commitment by the governments of Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Colombia and leading cocoa and chocolate companies to end deforestation and restore forest areas in cocoa supply chains.
- The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) aims to preserve natural resources through major forest management plans, including value addition to ecosystem goods and promotion of agroforestry. The recent establishment of the ECOWAS Business Council creates new opportunities for private sector engagement in regional forest governance and sustainable sourcing practices.
- Africa Cocoa Marketplace (ACM) is a digital platform to efficiently connect African cocoa sellers with global buyers, investors, and service providers, making it easier to share value propositions and provide evidence of best practices.
- The African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100) is a country-led effort to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, actively engaging private investors, agribusinesses, and restoration enterprises to scale up land restoration through public–private collaboration.
- REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) is a UN-backed framework that provides results-based finance to countries for conserving forests and promoting sustainable land management. More than half of African countries are implementing national REDD+ strategies.
Browse the evidence on initiative’s impact | Browse more standards in the region
Why this matters for your business
For companies sourcing forest-risk commodities, understanding these dynamics is increasingly critical. These commodities underpin many global value chains, from food and packaging to construction and paper products. Yet links to deforestation are often hidden deep within supply chains, through ingredients, raw materials, or upstream suppliers.
With the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) coming into force in 2025, there is a renewed imperative for supply chain professionals to understand the issues and the practical tools and strategies available to them. Soon professionals will not only need to identify where products originate, but also understand local deforestation risks, confidently monitor suppliers, and contribute to implementing robust due diligence systems.
About this mini-series
Evidensia is hosting a series of 1-hour virtual business sessions to help supply chain professionals navigate deforestation risks across the world’s major forest frontiers. These focused sessions will break down the big picture, explain the major sustainability supply chain initiatives in each region, and share practical insights on strategies that have proven effective.
Three regions, three sessions:
- Latin America at a crossroads – 25th November, 14:00-15:00 UK time
- The African perspective – 26th November, 14:00-15:00 UK time
- Palm oil and the path forward in Southeast Asia – 27th November, 09:00-10:00 UK time
Please note: You need to register for each session individually. Attend the ones that matter most to your supply chain or join all three for a complete picture of global deforestation risks.