Despite the wealth in natural resources, poverty remains a major challenge in countries across Africa. The continent is home to 70% of the world's extreme poor, many of whom often rely heavily on forests, trees and the ecosystem services they provide to support their livelihoods. Although often overlooked resources, forests and tree-based systems are vital in efforts to address poverty. However, it is crucial that policy and management measures that enable forests and trees to alleviate poverty are tailored to each specific context. 

Therefore, IUFRO's GFEP Programme initiated the preparation of  Forests, Trees and Poverty Alleviation in Africa: An Expanded Policy Brief  in November 2020. This policy brief derives its information from the global assessment report of the Global Forest Expert Panel on Forests and Poverty with additional complementary research in Africa and stakeholder consultation.It contributes to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by highlighting the nexus between SDG 1: No poverty and SDG 15: Life on land, as well as links to other relevant SDGs.