The role of civil society in the implementation of community forestry in the DRC

The role of civil society in the implementation of community forestry in the DRC

DR Congo - 21 March, 2016

In DRC the civil society has the duty to support local communities for the implementation of community forestry to ensure a peaceful access and use of resources and in this way contribute to local development. With these words Joseph Bolongo, TBI DR Congo Communications Officer, sent a reminder to the civil society at a General Assembly held in the Province of Tshopo, DRC from 7 to 11 March 2016.

In its presentation, Joseph Bolongo reminded the participants that community forestry is an opportunity for the communities to contribute towards a sustainable forest management and development of their country. However, this process can only be possible through an effective involvement of civil society to overcome the lack of knowledge, the administrative red tape and other annoyances.

The prerequisites for a local community to obtain a forest concession, the procedure, the forest concession allocation, the local community management methods of a forest concession and the benefits from community forestry were presented to participants. He also drew their attention to the increased interest on the forests and lands in DRC by enterprises in the forest and agricultural sector, as well as the Congolese government's wish to expand by 17 % the protected areas in the national territory. Given this rush for land in the DRC, in the near future, much of the community areas will be expropriated, and therefore depriving local communities of living spaces. It is important that civil society make use of the prerogatives recognized by the Congolese legislation to preserve the rights of communities to natural resources.

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After waiting a long time for legal texts to be in place, finally community forestry in DRC can be implemented. With the publication in February 2016 of a decree that regulates the management and operation of forest concessions by local communities the process has been cleared. Now communities should start applying for forest concessions and implementing community forestry.

The participants from rural areas, some of which have been informed for the first time about community forestry, have asked the for the legal texts and made the recommendation to organize trainings and awareness campaigns about community forestry.

In total, 150 actors from the civil society from seven territories of the Province of Tshopo attended this meeting.