Final answer:
Factors that favour lumbering in Africa include valuable hardwood species and large forests, but sustainability is hindered by economic and social pressures leading to deforestation and unsustainable logging practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
The factors favouring lumbering in Africa include the presence of large expanses of tropical rainforests which are home to hardwood species, such as mahogany, that are highly valued on the international market. However, sustainable lumbering is challenged by economic factors that incentivize 'hit-and-run' logging practices. The high demand for timber leads to deforestation and unsustainable logging, which is exacerbated by high real interest rates in many African countries that make it more economically viable to harvest trees prematurely rather than invest in their long-term growth. Further, factors such as unstable land tenure systems, increasing populations in need of agricultural land and firewood, and lack of financial incentives for sustainable forestry perpetuate these challenges.