Post by account_disabled on Mar 13, 2024 0:48:32 GMT -5
The people of the Monkoto Corridor know all about bridging gaps, quite literally: Their region connects two large sections of the Congo rainforest within Salonga National Park—one of the most biodiverse places in the world and home to iconic wildlife like the bonobo, forest elephant, and pangolin. Facing high poverty rates, local communities rely heavily on natural resources, which account for 95 percent of their food, medicine, and livelihoods. But deforestation, overfishing, and hunting pose a triple threat to their way of life. Together we have begun exploring how more sustainable solutions, like community forestry and fish farming, can help protect the rainforest of the Congo Basin and strengthen livelihoods. Fresh approaches to community forestry To keep the Congo rainforest intact, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been implementing a community forestry strategy since.
This initiative, which is currently in its five-year pilot phase, aims to set up sustainable forest management concessions for the Monkoto Corridor people (using a similar model to the world-renowned concessions of the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala). The Rainforest Alliance has been involved since day one, working with the government and other partners to test different approaches to community forestry through several pilot projects. These community forestry projects will help local communities develop ways to generate better incomes, while reducing BYB Directory pressure on the wildlife and forests of the Monkoto Corridor. This includes the development of training schools for sustainable agriculture, livestock farming, and fish farming—also known as aquaculture—to meet local demand for fish and provide alternatives to illegal bush meat hunting in Salonga National Park.
When women thrive, so do their communities Ruth Bohemba participating in a training As a key part of this work, the Rainforest Alliance promotes women’s associations as community leaders in natural resource management. At least 30 percent of our project participants will be women, some of whom will also take literacy or sewing training to help them develop alternative livelihoods. After training, participants will also receive the equipment needed to start their own businesses. Ruth Bohemba, an Indigenous woman who joined a training on best farming practices, said, “I’m happy that we learned about notions like the climate, the soil, and what we can grow on this type of soil, as well as how to protect this soil.” She says the training will not only benefit the women, but also their families and communities.
This initiative, which is currently in its five-year pilot phase, aims to set up sustainable forest management concessions for the Monkoto Corridor people (using a similar model to the world-renowned concessions of the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala). The Rainforest Alliance has been involved since day one, working with the government and other partners to test different approaches to community forestry through several pilot projects. These community forestry projects will help local communities develop ways to generate better incomes, while reducing BYB Directory pressure on the wildlife and forests of the Monkoto Corridor. This includes the development of training schools for sustainable agriculture, livestock farming, and fish farming—also known as aquaculture—to meet local demand for fish and provide alternatives to illegal bush meat hunting in Salonga National Park.
When women thrive, so do their communities Ruth Bohemba participating in a training As a key part of this work, the Rainforest Alliance promotes women’s associations as community leaders in natural resource management. At least 30 percent of our project participants will be women, some of whom will also take literacy or sewing training to help them develop alternative livelihoods. After training, participants will also receive the equipment needed to start their own businesses. Ruth Bohemba, an Indigenous woman who joined a training on best farming practices, said, “I’m happy that we learned about notions like the climate, the soil, and what we can grow on this type of soil, as well as how to protect this soil.” She says the training will not only benefit the women, but also their families and communities.