Democratic Republic of the Congo

Overview

The province of Haut-Katanga, which emerged from the decentralization of Katanga, has seen the establishment of large-scale agricultural enterprises over the past decade. However, heavy mechanization is limiting local employment, both skilled and unskilled.

The region is also suffering from deforestation and forest degradation. Around Lubumbashi, miombo forests covered 85 percent of the territory in 1956, but only 12 percent in 2009. At the same time, urbanized areas have tripled, from 6 percent to 20 percent, contributing to a reduction in forest cover from 92.1 percent to 80.3 percent. These losses are mainly due to mining activities and population growth, in the absence of appropriate management policies.

The situation of the Concessions Forestières des Communautés Locales (CFCL) is a cause for concern. Illegal extraction of charcoal (makala) is rapidly rising. The last three years have also been marked by major climate disruptions with rains arriving late and poorly distributed, affecting ecosystems and agriculture.

Faced with these challenges, the programme is being implemented in Haut-Katanga to restore degraded land and strengthen ecological resilience. It contributes to the country's commitment to restore 8 million ha of degraded land and forests by 2030, under the AFR100 Initiative and the Bonn Challenge.

Implementation