The study will be discussed by the 21st FAO Regional Conference for Africa, meeting in Yaounde, Cameroon, 21-25 February.
Deforestation is a serious threat for most African countries.
Between 1990 and 1995, Africa lost 3.7 million hectares of forests every year, a deforestation rate of 0.7 percent, more than twice the world average of 0.3 percent. Forests cover 520 million hectares in Africa, the continent contains the world's second largest reservoir of tropical forests, after Latin America. Sub-Saharan Africans are relying more than ever on fuelwood to meet their domestic energy needs, particularly for food preparation and preservation. It is estimated that 70-90 percent of total energy consumption is coming from wood, and this dependence on the forests is likely to increase because of low incomes and poverty. With a growing population, this trend will continue, the report said.