The Ivorian prefecture of Man has established a local committee to monitor and manage forest exploitation areas in the department of Man. The committee was installed on September 16, 2026, by Stéphane Guiriga, secretary general of the prefecture, representing the prefect of the Tonkpi region and the department of Man. The committee's primary goal is to prevent conflicts between stakeholders in the sector and ensure monitoring of forestry activities.
The committee is responsible for monitoring the management of each forest exploitation perimeter in its territorial jurisdiction, animating exploitation and development programs, and being informed of authorizations for the exploitation of secondary forest products. The committee will also serve as a first instance of amicable recourse in case of disputes between operators and populations and ensure the application of regulatory provisions governing forest exploitation.
According to Djan Yapo Evariste, director of the regional water and forests of Tonkpi, the establishment of this committee is part of the measures taken by the state to regulate forest exploitation and curb the disappearance of the forest cover. He mentioned that in the 1960s, Côte d'Ivoire had 16 million hectares of forest, but this has decreased to approximately 2.97 million hectares in 2026.
The state has been engaged in a reform of forest exploitation since 1995, which has led to the creation of committees responsible for monitoring the management of forest exploitation domains. Côte d'Ivoire has 363 forest exploitation perimeters, with 35 located in the Tonkpi region. The committee will facilitate exchanges between different stakeholders involved in forest exploitation.
Djan Yapo Evariste explained that the committee will provide a formal framework for addressing issues between farmers, village chiefs, and forest exploiters. The committee will comprise administrations, technical services, territorial collectivities, administrative authorities, representatives of village communities, and rural world organizations.
The 2019 forest code recognizes the landowner's property rights over trees, implying that landowners must possess required documents, such as a land certificate. Similar committees are already operational in the departments of Sipilou, Danané, and Biankouma, and the committee in Man complements the existing system.
The local committee for monitoring and managing forest exploitation areas in Man is chaired by the regional prefect, prefect of the department of Man, and comprises several members, including the regional director of water and forests as technical secretary, sub-prefects, directors of regional technical services, representatives of territorial collectivities, village chiefs, and agricultural professional organizations.
Key points
- The committee aims to prevent conflicts between stakeholders in the forest exploitation sector.
- Côte d'Ivoire's forest cover has decreased significantly from 16 million hectares in the 1960s to approximately 2.97 million hectares in 2026.
- The 2019 forest code recognizes landowners' property rights over trees.
