Land reform in the Central African Republic: the voices of Indigenous Peoples

Two groups of indigenous peoples are officially recognised in the Central African Republic, notably by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. One is the Bayaka (AKA), who live mainly in the equatorial forest of the south-west of the country, across four prefectures in this region. Traditionally hunter-gatherers, they are widely regarded as the country’s first inhabitants. The second group, the Mbororo, belongs to the larger Fulani community and is present throughout the Central African territory. Their livelihoods are primarily based on pastoralism, and they live a nomadic lifestyle.

Since the 19th century, both groups have been subjected to domination by other population groups and their rights have been violated across all areas of life, including fundamental freedoms, protection from inhuman and degrading treatment, access to healthcare, education, drinking water, adequate food, civil registration, justice, and other legal services. Indigenous peoples face restrictions on fundamental freedoms and are exposed to inhuman and degrading treatment. Access to healthcare, education, drinking water, adequate food, civil registration, justice, and legal services remains limited. Land-related issues are among the most severe. Both communities are frequently threatened with eviction from land they have long used or denied access to other lands and natural resources for various reasons (conservation, logging, agro-industrial development, etc).

Limited access to land and natural resources: the need for an Inclusive land reform

The vulnerability of indigenous peoples takes many forms. Some of the most significant challenges are outlined below by Mr. Sitamon, an expert with in-depth knowledge of Pygmy communities:

Mbororo (Bossangoa and Bambari)	Bayaka Pygmies
Precarious status: regarded by other Central African communities as stateless Questioning of the legitimacy of their land ownership Frequent land-related conflicts and speculation Repression and disproportionate fines imposed on Mbororo herders following damage caused by their livestock (attacks on and seizure of their cattle or sheep after damage observed in fields; excessive financial compensation for such damage demanded by certain courts)	Ancestral view of land as sacred, in contradiction with the conception held by other populations (land as a marketable, productive asset) Subjugation and dependence on Bantu family heads who exploit Bayaka labour for their own benefit and control land and its resources Difficult access to land and insecure land tenure: even autonomous Bayaka who have acquired land or received it from former masters face pressure and disputes from other populations Economic vulnerability and food insecurity: a tendency among Bayaka to sell their land for negligible amounts

Mbororo (Bossangoa and Bambari)

Bayaka Pygmies

Precarious status: regarded by other Central African communities as stateless
Questioning of the legitimacy of their land ownership
Frequent land-related conflicts and speculation
Repression and disproportionate fines imposed on Mbororo herders following damage caused by their livestock (attacks on and seizure of their cattle or sheep after damage observed in fields; excessive financial compensation for such damage demanded by certain courts)

Ancestral view of land as sacred, in contradiction with the conception held by other populations (land as a marketable, productive asset)
Subjugation and dependence on Bantu family heads who exploit Bayaka labour for their own benefit and control land and its resources
Difficult access to land and insecure land tenure: even autonomous Bayaka who have acquired land or received it from former masters face pressure and disputes from other populations
Economic vulnerability and food insecurity: a tendency among Bayaka to sell their land for negligible amounts

: Mr. Sitamon with Bayaka Pygmies from the village of Mossokpo, in the municipality of Mongoumba, Central African Republic.

Hopes and expectations surrounding the ongoing land reform

: Atelier de la Plateforme Multi acteurs, Bangui, mai 2025

In this context, and as part of the inclusive land reform process currently underway in the country, Mr. Sitamon was mandated in 2024 by the Network of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities of the Central African Republic to defend their interests in land-related matters. He therefore plays an active role within the multi-stakeholder platform established in May 2025 under the project “Improving Land Governance and Reducing Conflicts Related to Cross-Border Transhumance in the Republic of Chad, the Republic of Cameroon, and the Central African Republic”, funded by the FAO.

The purpose of this platform is to guide the development of the national land policy of the Central African Republic, ensuring that it takes into account the concerns of all segments of the population. This process is of critical importance for indigenous peoples, who have many expectations, especially when it comes to clarifying land ownership. As Mr. Sitamon emphasizes: Indigenous peoples expect the lands they use to be officially recognized and secured for themselves and their descendants, as Bantu neighbours and other segments of the Central African population control most of the land and natural resources in their localities, claiming ownership and exclusive decision-making power over their use.

Towards better representation of indigenous peoples in the national land policy process

Historically excluded from debates and rarely consulted on decisions affecting their communities, indigenous peoples now hope to occupy a central place in discussions and exchanges surrounding the national land policy currently under development.

The multi-stakeholder platform established in May 2025 offers a unique opportunity to launch an inclusive and participatory process. It brings together a wide range of actors, including civil society organisations, NGOs, the private sector, representatives of government ministries, women, young people, persons with disabilities, and representatives of indigenous peoples.

Nevertheless, despite this diversity, indigenous peoples are represented without being truly present. As Mr. Sitamon points out: While it is important to involve organisations working in support of indigenous peoples, indigenous individuals themselves should also be included, as they are best informed about their realities on the ground. Ideally, at least two indigenous representatives, one Aka and one Mbororo, should have been included on the committee. He notes that it may still be possible to address this shortcoming.

Currently, two Mbororo representatives participate intermittently in the platform’s consultations: the mayor of the pastoral municipality of Orodjafun (in Bambari) and the Secretary of the National Federation of Livestock Breeders of Central Africa (FNEC). However, no Pygmy representative has yet taken part in the process, although their participation is expected in the near future.

In this context, and in his capacity as a representative of indigenous peoples, Mr. Sitamon shared a number of expectations and recommendations during the platform’s opening workshop.

For the Aka, these include the identification, recognition, and securing of their lands; the abandonment by protected areas of plans to expel Aka communities, in favour of promoting their full involvement in the management of these areas; and the allocation of sufficiently large zones around protected areas to enable the practice and long-term continuation of traditional hunting, as well as the development of agricultural activities.
For the Mbororo, expectations include the identification and securing of substantial territories for pastoral activities, as well as the designation, securing, and equipping of new transhumance corridors (water points, veterinary posts, early warning systems, fodder banks, etc.).

Despite the obstacles that remain, the ongoing reform process opens new avenues for amplifying the voices of indigenous peoples and fostering hope for a fair and inclusive land policy in the Central African Republic, one that takes into account the realities and claims of all.

Deeply moved by the injustices and discrimination experienced by Pygmy communities, Anne-Marie Sitamon, then a young Central African woman, founded the association Maison de l’Enfant et de la Femme Pygmées (M.E.F.P.) in 2000. The organisation quickly expanded and went on to attain national NGO status. She has been supported throughout by her husband, Saint-Jérôme Sitamon, an expert with in-depth knowledge of Pygmy communities, who subsequently became the association’s coordinator.

Since then, the couple has remained continuously engaged in strengthening public representation, promoting the legal recognition of Pygmy peoples, and defending their rights. After spending eight years living alongside these communities with their six children, the couple now considers them part of their own family. Deeply committed to their cause, Mr. Sitamon emphasises that:

The rights of indigenous peoples still need to be strengthened, as they are highly vulnerable populations dominated by others. Certain national legal instruments, such as the forestry code, grant them some rights, but these are not always respected or effectively protected. An example of land security for Bayaka indigenous peoples provided by the Sitamon family in the municipality of Moboma.

In 2008, a group of Bayaka/Aka indigenous people living around the village of Moloukou, on fallow land belonging to a Bantu family, was regularly subjected to ill-treatment, humiliation, and threats of eviction. Having repeatedly witnessed these scenes of violence and humiliation during field missions carried out as part of their NGO, MEFP, the Sitamon family negotiated and purchased the fallow land in question, covering approximately three hectares, on which this group of indigenous people continues to live peacefully to this day.

: Mr. and Mrs. Sitamon (second and third from the left), with members of the M.E.F.P. team.

FAO.org

Other articles

Land reform in the Central African Republic: the voices of Indigenous Peoples

Limited access to land and natural resources: the need for an Inclusive land reform

Hopes and expectations surrounding the ongoing land reform

Towards better representation of indigenous peoples in the national land policy process