Thursday, January 20, 2022
The Pan African Forest Certification (PAFC) Congo Basin regional system is now endorsed by PEFC. It can be said that this is the world’s first PEFC endorsed regional forest certification system.
Under the regional certification system, there are different members- Cameroon, Congo, and Gabon that joins forces under “PAFC Congo Basin.” The three countries share one forestry system due to their shared language and similar forestry conditions.
The purpose behind a regional system was to elevate the reach and impact, sharing resources and knowledge, and alleviate the expensive cost of running a forest certification system. Reine Edwige Anjembe, President of PAFC Cameroon, says on the occasion, “Being part of a regional scheme is a tremendous opportunity for PAFC Cameroon. We are supported by the other PAFC members and help them back in return, leading to more efficiency in our actions.”
The President of PAFC Congo adds, “Having one system covering three countries means more significant market access to operate. Furthermore, the training process is more efficient and better value for certification bodies, as auditors only need to be trained on one standard.” “In terms of accreditation, having one system simplifies the process, as only one accreditation program needs to be opened for the sub-region.”
The three PAFC organisations will implement the regional system and assist companies with the certification process after they have endorsed the regional system. There will be an auditor training in the first half of 2022, as well as a company training and an open house event to promote the PAFC Congo Basin system to a wider audience. A key component of the coming months will be to develop national interpretation guidelines and a guide regarding carbon stock mapping and GHG emissions. By participating in these activities, companies will better understand the sustainable forest management standard and its requirements.
The international stakeholder member ATIBT along with PAFC Cameroon, PAFC Congo, PAFC Gabon and Olam, another stakeholder member, all together help in the development of the system. The German Development Bank, KfW funds this project .
Tags: Forest Technology, forestry system, PAFC organisations, Pan African Forest Certification (PAFC), woodworking and manufacturing, woodworking event, woodworking industry
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