Sustainable forest management in the Congo Basin – Regional support for the Central Africa Forests Commission (COMIFAC)

Sustainable forest management in the Congo Basin – Regional support for the Central Africa Forests Commission (COMIFAC)

Climate, Environment and Biodiversity

Client: GIZ

Period: 04.2019-06.2022

Countries: COMIFAC (Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe)

Context

The Congo Basin forest is the world’s second largest continuous tropical rainforest after the Amazon. The forests contain a large proportion of the world’s biodiversity, they play a central role in climate regulation and carbon sequestration and they provide a direct natural livelihood for 65 million people. The tropical exotic hardwoods of the Congo basin are among the region’s most important export goods, while oils, fruit and game secure a balanced diet for the local population. The agriculture expansion, infrastructure development, such as economic development or population expansion are the main causes for the progressive destruction and degradation of the forests.

 

 

Project description

 

To meet the land-use requirements and to deal with the potential danger, the Central Africa Forests Commission (COMIFAC) was established. Despite the positive perception in the international context and progress made in organisational development, the managerial and implementation capabilities of the COMIFAC and their structures are still insufficient, in view of the complexity of issues dealt with. Therefore, the aim of this project is: „The system of the Central Africa Forests Commission effectively takes its strategic and operational tasks.”

Services

 

Our assignment comprises:

  • Implementation and administration of a short-term expert pool / Project and personnel management of the pool with the focal points:
    • Public finance (including fundraising and innovative and sustainable financial mechanisms)
    • Legal advice and coaching at regional and inter-institutional level (COMIFAC, CEFDHAC, RIFFEAC)
    • Strategic planning and collaboration
    • Education
  • Monitoring evaluation and valorisation of implementation experience:
    • Support in establishing and maintaining a knowledge management system
    • Monitoring regarding the achieved impacts
  • Indigenous people and local communities
    • Support for the distribution of directives and awareness-raising campaigns
    • Preparation of complementary manuals to the directives
    • Design of pilot activities on the rights of the local and indigenous population, consulting on management and financing (e.g. zoning, FPIC, co-management, etc.)
  • Higher education/E-learning
    • Implementation of summer schools and study trips for the purpose of:
      • Strengthening professional competencies in forest and environmental education and training institutions in the Central African region (RIFFEAC) in cooperation with relevant European education and training institutions.
      • Support in the design of application-oriented research activities
      • Advice and continuous training to update and deepen the content of vocational education and training
      • Advice and continuing training to expand didactic approaches and adapted teaching methods
    • Development and implementation of e-learning trainings for employees of different institutional levels