This presentation concerns the key property rights issues arising in the West African Semi-Arid Tropics (WASAT). The WASAT contains three main agro-climatic zones: Sahel (300–600 mm of annual rainfall falling in 2.5–4 months); Sudanian (600–900 mm, 4 to 6 month rainy season); and Guinean (900–1100 mm, 6–7 month rainy season). The author presented a conceptual framework to explain the responses that farmers in the WASAT region have adopted to deal with changes in their environment.

The forestry and forest industries sectors have been borne on the tide of this wider reform. This issue of Unasylva offers an analysis of experiences with regard to forestry in transitional economies, with the aim of facilitating an understanding of the important issues involved in the process.

El sector forestal en general, y el de la industria forestal en particular, no ha quedado al margen de este amplio proceso de reformas. En el presente nmero de Unasylva se analizan las vicisitudes del sector forestal en determinados pases en transicin hacia la economa de mercado.

La foresterie et l'industrie forestire sont prises dans ce vaste processus de rforme. Ce numro d'Unasylva analyse l'exprience vcue par les pays en transition dans le secteur de la foresterie.