A. Raising awareness of reforestation among communities bordering Virunga National Park
The DRC’s natural capital is exceptionally important. The country has the world’s second-largest tropical forest, storing some 40 gigatonnes of carbon (equivalent to 140 Gt of potential CO2-equivalent emissions (MECNT, 2009)), the greatest biodiversity in Africa, more than 50% of the continent’s freshwater resources and nearly 80 million hectares of arable land (DRC Ministry of Agriculture, 2009a). This programme also aims to support the creation of agroforestry farmer field schools.
B. Summary of our 2018 and 2019 activity reports
Several reforestation activities involving the local community were carried out between 2018 and 2019, including:
a) Raising awareness of reforestation
- Setting up a fruit-tree nursery (572 avocado, 135 mango, 66 lemon and 27 guava trees) in Mugunga.
- Distributing fruit seedlings to 448 beneficiaries in the Lac Vert and Mugunga neighbourhoods.
- Setting up a nursery of agroforestry species (600 Grevillea robusta, 250 Markhamia lutea).
- Distributing seedlings to 289 beneficiaries in the Lac Vert, Mugunga and Kyeshero neighbourhoods.
Note: These activities were carried out in partnership with the local NGO Life Regain Foundation (LRF).
b) Raising awareness of agroforestry
- Raising awareness among 637 women, 54 men and 146 young women farmers in Mugunga and Lac Vert of the value of agroforestry techniques and their impact on yields and on maintaining the balance of ecosystems.
- Mapping the nursery growers and non-profits working in agroforestry along the lakeshore road.
