Community forestry in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a major issue for the preservation of natural resources and sustainable development. In the province of Tshopo, the importance of this sector is particularly highlighted during the eighth provincial round table on community forestry which was held from 11 to 14 July.
Tshopo has considerable forest potential, with nearly 19.8 million hectares of natural forests covering 93.5% of its area. However, despite this potential, the development of community forestry is progressing slowly in the region. So far, only three Local Community Forest Concessions (CFCL) have been legally allocated, covering a total area of 89,750 hectares. Moreover, none of these CFCLs has yet a validated and approved simple management plan (PSG).
During the round table, the participants discussed the challenges, opportunities and perspectives related to the implementation of community forestry. Among the difficulties identified, we find in particular the administrative slowness in the processing of application files, the lack of technical, material and financial means, as well as inter-community land disputes. All of these issues hamper the development of community forestry in the region.
Faced with these challenges, participants called for greater awareness of local communities and an intensification of training and support efforts. They also stressed the importance of better coordination between provincial and local administrations, as well as greater transparency in the process of awarding CFCLs.
Community forestry offers many opportunities for local communities, particularly in terms of environmental preservation, job creation and sustainable income. It is therefore essential to support and promote this sector by identifying and overcoming the obstacles that hinder its development.
In conclusion, the round table on community forestry in Tshopo highlighted the challenges facing this province in eastern DRC in the development of this vital sector. Now is the time to act and find concrete solutions to accelerate the process of community forestry and thus allow local communities to fully benefit from the region’s forest resources