The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country located in Central Africa. It is the eighteenth most populated country in the world. Its rainforests are home to several rare and endemic species. Over the past century or so, the DRC has become the center of what has been called the Central African "bushmeat" problem, regarded by many as a major environmental and socio-economic crisis. "Bushmeat" is another word for the meat of wild animals, typically obtained through trapping, usually with wire snares, or else with shotguns, poisoned arrows, or arms originally intended for use in the DRC's numerous military conflicts. The hunting has also been facilitated by the extensive logging prevalent throughout the Congo's rainforests from both corporate logging, and farmers clearing forest land for agriculture. Logging allows hunters much easier access to previously-unreachable jungle terrain, while simultaneously eroding away the habitats of animals. (Wikipedia)
Quick Facts
Land use
Total land area
226,795,999 hectares
Area of forest
67.3% of land area
Area of agriculture
11.6% of land area
Area of permanent cropland
0.4% of land area
People
Population growth
3.1% annually
Economics and development
GDP per person
456.10 USD
GDP from agriculture
21.2%
Climate change and biodiversity
CO2 emissions
0.00 metric tonnes per person
Threatened animal and plant species
349
Bonn Challenge Commitments
Area committed
8,000,000 hectares
Potential economic benefit
2,512 million USD
Potential climate benefit
0.76 GtCO2 sequestered
Main forest types
Savannah and dry grasslands
Tropical/subtropical coniferous forests
Tropical/subtropical moist broadleaf forest
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National Restoration Targets
Total restoration target 16,775,750 hectares
Readiness Preparation Proposal (R-PP) – FCPF
Restoration target
14,400,000 hectares
Readiness Plan for REDD+ 2010-2012 (2010)
Program 7: Forestation and deforestation (p. 120): In order to reach the sequestration potential estimated at first glance at 30 Gt by 2030, the DRC shall implement an ambitious deforestation / reforestation programme affecting approximately 13 million ha, including: a portion for afforestation in the marginal zones (savannahs); another for reforestation of degraded forests.
Programme 8: Identification of “protected Forests” and gradual transfer of their management to local communities (p. 121): The DRC wants to implement community management of ‘protected Forests’ gradually in order to involve and empower local communities to manage their forest heritage. This programme therefore aims to: Target and define potential areas within the framework of territorial ‘zoning’; Support local communities in implementing suitable organizations to manage these areas.
Programme 10: Increased output and value added for small farmer commercial agriculture, based on the aggregation of techniques with low impacts on forests, including agroforestry (p. 122)
Programme 11: Controlled development of intensive farming (including export), through the rehabilitation of old and new plantations / savannah ranches (p. 122): To reduce the potential impact of intensive farming on the forest major actions can be taken: Orienting investors toward old plantations located in the forest in order to rehabilitate them (between 1.4 and 1.6 million ha)
Programme 12: Decreased demand for firewood and increased supply through afforestation / sustainable reforestation, within the framework of a coherent national energy strategy (p. 123): Afforestation and reforestation programmes intended to provide firewood to urban populations in a sustainable manner can be completed by this programme, whose aim is to reduce demand, mainly by providing electricity to the entire territory, meeting up to 60% of needs, since the Government provides for it in its equipment programmes to be completed by 2030.
Emission Reduction Program Idea Note (ER-PIN) – FCPF
Restoration target
2,000,000 hectares
Emission Reductions Program Idea Note: Democratic Republic of Congo
Synthesis of main drivers and planned Program activities according to types of lands uses in the ER Program area:
Community Customary Lands (without other specific attribution) -- Non-afforested (p. 16) activities include: Support for agroforestry, PSE reforestation, protection anthropogenic savanna; awareness and enhancement of control, etc. (1 Mha).
Forest Concession -- Production series (p. 16): Reduced Impact logging: development and support for the implementation of the carbon RIL standard by PSE (1.0 Mha)
Forest Investment Program (FIP)
Restoration target
289,750 hectares
Investment Plan: Democratic Republic of Congo (2011)
Kinshasa Supply Area Program (alleviate fuelwood driver)
Intervention area: 7 million hectares (degraded savanna with forest remnants and an area of savanna-forest mosaic in Bandundu province) (p. 47)
Budget: $13.7 million (grant) + $5.1 million (co-financing)
Interventions: agroforestry, community forestry
Activities: afforestation and reforestation (3,200 ha), assisted natural regeneration (250 ha), Community Forestry (20,000 ha) (p. 46)
Kananga & Mbuji-Mayi Supply Area Program
Intervention Area: 6.7 million ha (3.8 million ha forested)
Interventions: community forestry (large savanna area is opportunity for afforestation/reforestation), agroforestry models
Budget: $12.1 million (grant) + $5.7 million (co-financing)
Activities: afforestation/reforestation (2,500 ha), assisted natural regeneration (70,000 ha), Community Forestry (70,000 ha) (p. 48)
Kisangani Supply Area Program
Intervention Area: 4 million ha (3.5 million ha forested)
Budget: $10.2 million + $7 million (co-financing)
Activities: A/R (500 ha), ANR (1,000 ha), Community Forestry (100,000 ha) (p. 51)
Program for Engaging Private Sector in REDD+
Budget: $18.4 million (1/2 grant, ½ credit) + $18.2 million co-financing
Activities: afforestation/reforestation (20,500 ha), assisted natural regeneration (1,800 ha) (p. 52)
Small Grants Program: for private sector/civil society proposals
Budget: $5 million
Priority Activities: afforestation/reforestation, assisted natural regeneration, Community Forestry (p. 52)
National Forest and/or Climate Strategy and/or Low Carbon Development Strategy
DRC 2nd National Communication (2009)
Summary of the Technological Reinforcement Projects for the Attenuation of GHG
Sector: Agriculture, Land Use Change, Forests (p. 23)
Activities (estimated costs):
Agroforestry promotion in savanna areas: $1.36 million
Reforestation in Low-River area: $6 million
Firewood plantation in Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Mbuji-Mayi: $22 million
Global Environment Facility (GEF) projects
Restoration target
86,000 hectares
Community-Based Miombo Forest Management in South East Katanga
GEF agency: FAO – council approved (2013)
Duration: 60 months
Relevant project outcome: Miombo forests restored and under sustainable management (p. 1, 9)
Goal: 80,000 ha under Sustainable Forest Management and restore 6,000 ha degraded woodlands
Cost: $3.3 million (grant) + $7 million (co-financing)
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