Community forestry: Framing sustainability in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Conditions met?

The main objective of my research was to conduct a socio-economic study of the selected villages to better understand the feasibility of a community forest, and if such a model could contribute to poverty alleviation and better forest management.  My findings show that the villages in Yainyongo meet some favorable conditions that make it likely to succeed, except perhaps for Bokuma.

First, in most of the villages there are structured associations, which reflect the ability of community members to work together. For example, in Utisongo there is a local association that supports households when they lose a family member: they receive coffee, sugar and 1,000 Congolese Francs (less than a dollar) without having to repay. In Biondo, there is an active women’s association, known as Mamans makasi (the strong moms). There is also a development-focused organization called Lutte contre la poverté (fighting against poverty), which has succeeded in implementing a public lighting system.

Second, I did not identify any serious social conflicts during my research. While some people spoke of tensions between villages due to expansion beyond their current limits, it did not seem to be an obstacle for them to manage the forest together. It is important, however, to acknowledge that villages have different habits and forest uses, therefore a successful sustainable management plan will have to include these differences and accommodate their specific needs.

Third, people seem aware of the concept of sustainable management of natural resources. During our focus groups we learnt that non-governmental organizations had previously worked in the most accessible villages (Romée and Ikongo-Ecole), and had organized activities related to sustainable agriculture. But unexpectedly, we found also a genuine interest in some villages that had never been exposed to development projects.

Finally, there are potential economic activities that could help improve local living conditions. Currently, communities’ livelihoods depend on charcoal production and agriculture. There is a growing charcoal market in Kisangani. It is the main source of energy in the area, and while its high consumption could be a driver of forest degradation, there is a lot of potential to develop a more sustainable and profitable industry – for example through biomass plantations.

As for agriculture, villagers work principally in “zamba” — forest land that has already been converted to farmland — but in some cases, primary forest is still exploited. This could be addressed with a proper management plan for a community forest. And most importantly, agriculture needs to become more productive and profitable to improve people’s living conditions and avoid further forest degradation.

   Charcoal production is the main economic activity in the area. Photo: Axel Fassio/CIFOR

Who are the locals?

Despite these favourable conditions, a major constraint remains the distinction between “native” and “immigrant” populations – people whose ancestors inhabited the land, versus families that have arrived in the area in recent decades in search for better opportunities or escaping conflict. Under customary law, “native” people have more rights over natural resources than “non-native” people who must request permission from local people to enter a forest and exploit resources.

Bokuma is a village made up of only immigrant people that came to work a rubber plantation, but the population is now second and even third generation born in the village. However, according to the Congolese Forest Code, only local communities have the right to obtain a concession to create a community forest.

Article 1 of the Forest Code and Article 2 of the decree 14/018 define a local community as “a population traditionally organized on the basis of custom and united by bonds of solidarity in clan or kin, underpinning its internal cohesion. It is further characterized by its attachment to a particular land.”

According to this definition, migrant populations are not entitled to the traditional rights to lands and resources, even though they might have been living in the same village for decades. From this discriminatory rule, conflictual situations may easily arise.

Life lessons

As a young European researcher, conducting fieldwork in DRC for the first time was sometimes confusing, sometimes an eye-opening experience. As a missionary living in Yanonge explained:

“There may be things you do not understand and others you will understand later on, but there are also things that you do not understand and that you will never understand, but you will accept.”

Indeed, acceptance means respecting different behaviors and ways of living. For example, people’s relationship with forests. Surrounded by a less forested environment, I feel that we, Europeans, have lost the capacity to see how much we depend on forests.

But the communities I visited during my field work, like many others, directly rely on forest resources for their livelihoods: forests provide food, energy, medicine, and shelter, and everyone seems to be aware of their primary importance. They just need a little bit of help to manage them sustainably.

Finally, I was told many times: “Do not forget us when you go back home, please keep in mind what you have seen here.”

This is why I am sharing my experiences in DRC and I will dedicate my career to international forestry.