Reimagining Africa's Forest Resource Future without the Gendered Impact of Carbon Trading

In recent years, the growing trend of viewing nature solely through an economic lens has profoundly impacted the relationship between man and nature. This shift is particularly evident in the realm of forest resource management (FRM), where market-based solutions like carbon trading and offset programs such as REDD+ have gained significant prominence. While these mechanisms are solutions to combat climate change, they often overlook the lived realities of the very communities that depend on these forests for their survival. Women and children have played minimal roles in forest management. These groups, who have long played an essential role in maintaining the ecological balance, are frequently marginalized in global policy discussions. As a result, a male-driven conservation framework is emerging, one that fails to acknowledge the indispensable contributions of women to environmental stewardship. In Africa, where many communities are directly reliant on natural resources for their livelihoods, this imbalance has serious consequences.Though COP29 attempted to balance the inequalities by insisting on community participation it failed to address the root cause: political participation and distributional justice.

African Women as Stewards of Nature

Historically, African women have been the custodians of nature, deeply intertwined with the land and its resources. As of 2025, Africa's population is approximately 1.53 billion people. Women make up roughly 50% of the population, which means around 765 million women. Africa's forests cover about 3.6 million square kilometers, representing 18% of the world's total forest area. When considering women involved in FRM, the percentage of women engaged in this sector is notable, particularly in rural areas.

They have been responsible for essential tasks such as collecting firewood, gathering non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and securing water for their families. The role of women in the sustainable management of these resources is indispensable. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 70% of rural African women rely on natural resources like forests for their livelihoods. This means they not only manage household fuel consumption and food security but are also the first to notice changes in the environment. Women's intimate connection with the land is a cornerstone of community sustainability, as they are often the primary decision-makers when it comes to resource use in daily life.

However, the growing focus on monetizing nature through mechanisms like REDD+ has begun to disrupt this balance. REDD+ is intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through forest conservation, and in theory, it provides compensation for maintaining forests. In practice, however, these mechanisms disproportionately benefit large-scale, male-dominated industries, often criminalizing the subsistence-based activities of women. For example, in Cross River State, Nigeria, women are penalized under REDD+ for gathering firewood—an essential task for their families' survival. Meanwhile, male-dominated industries, such as logging, continue to operate under cover of darin forests designated for conservation. This scenario highlights the gendered disparity in forest resource management, where women's traditional roles are overlooked, and their access to critical resources is restricted.

Inequalities Across Africa

The exclusion of women from forest resource governance is not limited to Nigeria. Across Africa, women's roles in sustainable land and resource management are often ignored, even in the face of policies meant to protect the environment. For example, in Uganda, women make up 80% of the agricultural labor force, yet they face significant challenges in land access and decision-making power in forest management. While the government has introduced programs to enhance women's participation in environmental governance, these efforts have often failed to address the gendered dynamics of power within local communities, where men typically hold decision-making authority. Similarly, in Madagascar, despite women being the main players in the collection of non-timber forest products like medicinal plants, they have little influence over national policies related to forest conservation. As a result, conservation programs often ignore the specific needs of women and children, reinforcing their marginalization.

A key study by UN Women found that only 24% of national climate action plans submitted to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) explicitly address gender equality, with even fewer integrating gender-responsive approaches into forest conservation strategies. This exclusion reflects a broader trend of patriarchal systems within African countries, where male-dominated political structures continue to shape the way forest policies are developed, implemented, and evaluated. Women’s political participation in climate governance remains minimal, and their essential role in managing natural resources is often ignored in favor of global economic interests that prioritize profit over sustainability.

Carbon Colonialism in the Commodification of Nature

At the heart of the issue lies the broader concept of carbon colonialism. Carbon trading and offset programs have turned forests into assets to be bought and sold, with little regard for the local communities that depend on them. In many African countries, these programs have criminalized traditional, sustainable practices, such as fuelwood gathering or agroforestry, labeling them as unsustainable or illegal. Meanwhile, male-dominated industries engaged in large-scale deforestation and land exploitation often receive subsidies through carbon offset initiatives. This new wave of environmental colonialism prioritizes economic growth over ecological health, undermining the very practices that local women have employed for generations to maintain environmental balance.

This situation has made African women particularly vulnerable, as they are both the primary users of forest resources and the ones most likely to be criminalized for engaging in activities that have long been considered sustainable. For example, in Kenya, women who depend on forests for firewood are being criminalized under environmental laws that prioritize conservation for carbon offsets. Yet, the same laws permit large-scale land clearing for agriculture and timber, which further accelerates environmental degradation. This disconnect between the goals of carbon markets and the realities on the ground exemplifies the problematic nature of financialized conservation.

Reimagining an Inclusive Forest Governance for Africa

Despite these challenges, there are examples of successful models that prioritize gender equality and sustainability in forest governance. These models recognize the need to involve women in decision-making processes and respect their traditional knowledge of sustainable land use. One example can be seen in Ethiopia, where the government has embraced community-based forest management (CBFM) that explicitly includes women in decision-making processes. The Forest Development Program has worked to empower women through training and capacity-building, which has increased their participation in both environmental governance and economic opportunities tied to forest conservation. This approach has led to better resource management and has helped to reduce deforestation by incorporating the perspectives of the women who rely on these forests for their livelihoods.

In Tanzania, the community-based approach to forest management has also proven successful. Women, who are typically tasked with managing household resources, are integral in decision-making about how forest resources are used and conserved. By acknowledging their role as primary users of forest resources, Tanzania has been able to implement policies that are both ecologically and socially sustainable. These policies also provide women with a platform to address their specific needs, such as access to alternative energy sources, which alleviates pressure on local forests and enhances the resilience of communities to climate change.

Reimagining governance for Africa’s forests requires borrowing best practices and prioritizing the voices and needs of women and marginalized groups. Women must be included in decision-making at all levels, with their traditional knowledge and perspectives recognized in policy-making. Their contributions to sustainable resource management are essential. Expanding initiatives to build women’s capacity in leadership, forest management, and policy advocacy will empower them to influence climate policies. This ensures that policies are shaped by those who have the closest connection to the land.

Gender-responsive policies must be integrated into forest management and climate change frameworks, ensuring women’s needs are considered in conservation programs and reducing the gender gap in governance. Additionally, governments and NGOs should focus on providing alternative livelihoods for women, reducing their dependency on forest resources while offering sustainable income opportunities. This creates resilience in both communities and the environment. By centering women in forest governance, Africa can create a more sustainable and equitable future, where both the land and its stewards thrive.

Conclusion

As Africa’s population grows and the pressures on its forests intensify, it is imperative to rethink the way forest resources are managed. The current trajectory of carbon financialization and carbon colonialism fails to account for the essential roles that women and children play in forest conservation. By adopting inclusive governance models that recognize the traditional knowledge and contributions of women, and by promoting best practices from countries like Ethiopia and Tanzania, Africa can forge a path toward more equitable and sustainable forest resource management. The future of Africa’s forests depends on reimagining governance structures that value both people and the planet, ensuring that the benefits of conservation are shared equitably among all members of society, most especially towards those who have historically been excluded from the conversation.

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