Supporting secure land and forest rights whilst strengthening the resilience of indigenous populations and local forest communities

Project Overview

The DRC is a country that has invaluable forests, which host unique biodiversity, sacred lands for Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IP and LC), and provide livelihoods to almost 40 million Congolese people. Despite the importance of these forests, they face significant threats. This is due to several issues such as extractive practices, growing climate change effects and the displacement of Indigenous Pygmy People and local communities, traditionally guardians of these lands, by other economic actors.  

To protect forests and IP and LC tenure rights, the DRC, through its 2002 Forest Code, promoted community forestry concessions (CFCL). Despite the promotion of this tool, in practice there are still several issues, especially the lack of clarity in the processes to obtain, set up, formalise and manage them. For instance, CFCL are often not set up through participatory means, leaving out IP and LC priorities, traditional knowledge, women and youth; and with vague formal processes.   

Understanding these issues and the importance of CFCL for the promotion of IP and LC tenure rights, this project intends to provide support to establish CFCL through inclusive and participatory means and implement activities that promote Indigenous Pygmy Peoples and local communities’ tenure rights in the DRC.  

The overall aim of the project is to contribute to securing land and forest rights, reducing poverty and building resilience for Indigenous Pygmy Peoples and local communities, as well as for women in the DRC by promoting sustainable forest management in various communities. By its completion community forest rights over 390,000 hectares in seven western provinces will be stronger.