AFD Commits CFA3.3 Billion to Build Skills in Regional Forestry and Wood-Processing Sector

The French Development Agency (AFD) and the Network of Central African Forestry and Environmental Training Institutions (RIFFEAC) signed a financing agreement worth €5 million, or about CFA 3.3 billion, on June 18, 2026, in Yaoundé to launch the second phase of the Support Program for the Development of Continuing Training in the Forestry and Wood-Processing Sector in Central Africa (ADEFAC 2).

Funded through a grant from France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and channeled through AFD, the program will be implemented over five years. It will now cover six Congo Basin countries: Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic and Equatorial Guinea.

The program aims to strengthen the skills of stakeholders across the forestry and wood-processing sector to improve the sustainable management of forest resources while supporting the competitiveness of an industry that plays a strategic role in several Central African economies.

Consolidating the gains of the first phase

ADEFAC 2 builds on an initial program launched in 2020 in Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The first phase helped establish a regional continuing training framework bringing together training institutions, companies, professional organizations and public administrations.

According to program data, ADEFAC 1 helped create a pool of more than 190 trainers, develop and test 42 training modules across 14 training centers and institutions in Central Africa, and train more than 600 learners. The modules address a wide range of needs across the forestry and wood-processing value chain, including forestry operations, wood processing, business management, mapping, cost management, nursery operations and technical wood trades.

For RIFFEAC, the new phase is expected to consolidate these achievements, expand continuing training programs and strengthen the match between workforce skills and industry needs.

“This new phase aims in particular to consolidate and build on the achievements of phase one, expand and diversify continuing training programs, strengthen institutional foundations and the long-term sustainability of the system, and improve the alignment between training and labor market needs for the benefit of companies and the economies of Central Africa,” RIFFEAC’s regional coordinator said during the signing ceremony.

Training to increase local wood processing

Beyond forest conservation, the project also addresses a major economic challenge: supporting greater local processing of timber. Several Central African countries are seeking to reduce log exports and increase the value added generated domestically by the sector. Achieving this objective will require not only industrial investment but also a skilled workforce capable of meeting the needs of companies.

Continuing training is therefore becoming an important driver of competitiveness. Occupations across the sector are evolving in response to growing requirements related to traceability, certification, advanced processing techniques, industrial maintenance, sustainable forest management and compliance with international standards. Without the necessary skills, companies will struggle to move up the value chain and capture a greater share of the value created by the industry.

For AFD, ADEFAC 2 therefore carries both environmental and economic significance. “The collective commitment around this initiative demonstrates its strategic importance for the future of the Congo Basin forests and the populations that depend on them,” said François Jacquier-Pélissier, AFD’s regional director for Central Africa.

With this new financing package, the partners aim to contribute to the emergence of a forestry and wood-processing sector that is more competitive, creates more jobs and is better equipped to meet sustainable management requirements. The challenge now will be to translate training into tangible gains for companies, including higher productivity, improved product quality, reduced losses, increased local timber processing and more effective workforce integration.

Amina Malloum