The issues of biodiversity conservation in the Congo Basin and food security were at the heart of discussions during a regional meeting held in Kinshasa. Political leaders and environmental protection stakeholders have stressed the importance of finding a balance between the preservation of forest ecosystems and the food needs of local populations.
During this meeting, it was emphasized that environmental protection must take into account the needs of local populations who depend on the forest for their survival. Participants stressed that food security is a crucial issue in the region, and that if populations do not have sufficient means of subsistence, they will be forced to destroy the forest to feed themselves.
According to Million Belay, general coordinator of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa, it is necessary to focus as much on the conservation of biodiversity as on the food systems of local populations. He also highlighted the lack of support for food systems in the Congo Basin, despite the importance of the forest as a source of food for the population.
The executive director of the Congo Basin Conservation Society, Josué Aruna, stressed the need for donor support to find a balance between development and preservation of the Congolese forest. The Congo Basin, considered the “lungs of Africa”, is the second largest tropical forest on the planet, with an area of 220 million hectares.
This regional meeting highlighted the importance of reconciling environmental protection and food security in the Congo Basin. It is essential to find sustainable solutions that guarantee both the preservation of biodiversity and the satisfaction of the food needs of local populations. Support from donors and political actors is crucial to achieving this goal and ensuring a viable future for the Congo Basin and its people.