This paper examines the degradation of forest cover in Côte d’Ivoire since 1960, marked by a loss of nearly 90% of primary forest, shrinking from 16 million hectares to only 3.4 million hectares today. This depletion has a significant incidence on the biodiversity, with 1,300 plant species and 160 animal species threatened with extinction. This phenomenon is mainly due to factors such as increased agricultural production, climate change and creeping urbanization as 55% of the population now live in urban areas. Intensive cocoa cultivation has caused the conversion of 1.2 million hectares of forest into agricultural land, thus affecting ecosystem services, food security, and the health of local communities. The paper makes recommendations for sustainable forest management, aimed at preserving this vital ecosystem for future generations.
Keywords: Biodiversity Loss, Climate Change, Natural resources, creeping urbanization, ecosystem services, forest area, forest cover degradation, intensive cocoa cultivation, plant species, urban population
