The IFFN project, led by ONF International in a joint venture with the IGN and IGN FI, officially kicked off in January 2019.
The second Steering Committee meeting took place on 30 October in Abidjan, when a progress update on activities relating to training and the inventory was presented.
The evolution of forest cover and wildlife species in Ivory Coast gives cause for concern. Almost 90% of its forests have disappeared over the last 60 years with an annual rate of deforestation of 2.69%, one of the highest in Africa. The country has also registered the disappearance of numerous species of mammals as a result of poaching and the disappearance of their natural habitats.
The project will involve technicians carrying out inventory work in 31 regions and 108 departments over a period intended to last two years. Inventories will made on 1,417 25-hectare sample units and observations of wildlife will be carried out on 994 transects (wildlife observation paths) spread across the whole country.