Fatshimetrie, September 26, 2024 – An innovative project was born during the workshop on the “COBAI” initiative in Kinshasa, where food sovereignty in the Congo Basin was at the heart of the discussions. With the main objective of enabling populations to eat well by making the best use of the region’s flora and fauna, this initiative was validated by civil society organizations, experts and representatives of the Congolese government.
Under the leadership of Sylvain Ntumba, Executive Secretary of the National Committee for the Promotion of Family Farming (CNPAF), the COBAI project has a long-term vision. By 2035, it will seek to strengthen local and regional food sovereignty, improve ecological resilience to climate challenges, promote agro-ecological practices and support the sustainable development of agriculture and biodiversity.
The intervention of Mr. Josué Arouna of the Congo Basin Conservation Society – CBCS Network highlighted the 5 pillars of this crucial initiative, aimed at addressing the critical ecological and agricultural challenges of the vast Congo Basin region, stretching from Cameroon to the Central African Republic.
The impetus for this project stems from a major forum organized in Kinshasa in August 2023, focusing on biodiversity, conservation, climate change and food systems in the Congo Basin. The major challenges facing the region’s food system, such as food insecurity, biodiversity loss and the impacts of climate change, were the subject of significant commitments and the drafting of the COBAI proposal.
The Congo Basin is full of inestimable natural wealth, offering its inhabitants a diversity of crops, animal and fisheries resources. However, these assets are threatened by major challenges that require innovative and sustainable solutions to ensure food security and the preservation of biodiversity.
The financing of this project by AFSA, CNPAF’s financial partner, demonstrates the commitment of key stakeholders to support sustainable agricultural development and environmental conservation in the Congo Basin. This initiative promises to pave the way for better cohesion between local stakeholders, experts and decision-makers to jointly address the region’s food and environmental challenges.
In conclusion, the COBAI project opens new perspectives for more sustainable management of the Congo Basin’s natural resources and for the promotion of environmentally friendly agricultural production methods. It embodies a glimmer of hope for the future of local populations and their environment, by offering concrete solutions to the pressing challenges related to food and climate change.