The Cavally region is one of the main forested areas of Côte d'Ivoire. With an estimated population of 708,241 people in 11,376 km2, it is also a major producer of cocoa and rubber. However, the region is plagued by deforestation and lost about 80% of its forest cover between 1960 and 2018, mainly due to agricultural activities. Deforestation affects not only forests in the rural domain, but also protected areas such as the Taï National Park and classified forests such as the Cavally, Goin Débé or Scio classified forests.
To respond to this challenge, the Cavally Regional Council led the development of two documents that support the sustainable development of the region: a Regional Land Use and Development Plan (SRADT) and a Green Growth Plan, which were developed through a participatory process that brought together a coalition of public and private sector actors, technical and financial partners and civil society – a process supported by the IDH.
In March 2022, 27 public and private organizations and civil society representatives signed a Memorandum of Understanding (a Production, Protection, and Inclusion Pact), through which they pledged to work together for&nbsp;inclusive and environmentally sound growth in the region <a href="https://www.idhsustainabletrade.com/landscapes/cavally-cote-divoire/">Cavally</a>&nbsp;.
Through this agreement, the signatories committed to support the implementation of the green growth plan, in the following pillars:
<ul>
<li>Protection, restoration and sustainable management of the Taï National Park;</li>
<li>Inclusion of the population in the protection and restoration of forests, with a focus on youth and women;</li>
<li>Promotion of firewood and timber through new tree plantations;</li>
<li>Improved productivity of cash crops (cocoa, coffee, rubber, etc.) and food products (rice, corn, cassava, yams, etc.);</li>
<li>Facilitating access to finance through VSLAs;</li>
<li>Support for the acquisition of land certificates.</li>
</ul>