20 December 2013: The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) has announced the admittance of Burkina Faso as a REDD+ funding eligible country. The announcement was accompanied by US$3.8 million in funding to develop and begin implementation of a national REDD+ strategy.

With support from the Forestry Investment Program (FIP) and FCPF, Burkina Faso has identified a number of priority issues for REDD+ readiness including land use planning, improved security of land tenure, the sustainable management of agriculture, silviculture and pastoral systems, and the harmonization of natural resource policies and strengthening of governance. Overall, the national REDD+ strategy aims to improve forest management in Burkina Faso, where 43 percent of the terrestrial area is forested. In particular, the investment is intended to reduce, or halt the current rate of deforestation (over 100,000 hectares per year) and forest degradation (500,000 hectares per year).

The FCPF announcement follows a US$30 million previously awarded through the African Development Bank (AfDB) Climate Investment Funds to Burkina Faso with approval of its Forest Investment Plan. The development of the plan was supported by the AfDB and the World Bank. [AfDB Press Release]