Cotonou, Benin, 05/07 - The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has agreed to grant Benin $6 million to finance a management programme for forests and adjacent land resources.

The project will also help promote the involvement of grassroots community organisations to enable the continuity of the contribution of forest resources to the welfare of local populations, the World Bank said in a statement here Monday.

The project covers 16 forest reserves and will help Benin to overcome obstacles to the integrated management of its forest ecosystems and riverbanks lands, it notes.

Fourteen of the targeted forests are natural listed forests and while the two others are located in firewood production areas.