A substantial contribution toward making operational goal No. 8 (Research and Development) of the Convergence Plan

 

Please download the Synthetic Report: HERE

 

Preface by Raymond Mbitikon, Executive Secretary of COMIFAC

 

It is recognized worldwide that Central African forests play an important economic, social, cultural and ecological role. They contribute to the economic development of countries, to improving the lives of people and preserving the global environment.

 

For these forests to continue to provide the local population, countries and mankind, with the desired goods and services, research has to be at the core of any political action. In effect, research on the dynamics of forest ecosystems and their various environmental services should help respond to concerns related to the sustainable management of forest ecosystems and the fight against poverty. However, it is clear that in recent decades, forestry research has suffered nationally because of the decline in national funding, which has paralyzed the functioning of national forestry research centres. To this main crisis factor should be added the weak capacity of national scientific communities to convince authorities and partners to include their priorities in national agendas in order to generate adequate funding.

 

 

docs/research_docs/Facilitation canadienne 2011/RDP-Recherche.jpgIt was on the contrary observed that forestry research initiatives in the sub-region are carried on mainly by international research institutions. As part of ongoing discussions on the new global climate code for example, it was noted that deforestation contributes to about a quarter of the overall volume of greenhouse gas emissions. Deciphering this rather innocuous revelation for informed actors of Central Africa, showed the negative impact of the lack of adequate scientific data on Central African forest ecosystems.

 

 

It is in this context that in co-organizing a workshop on "Research on forest ecosystems", COMIFAC, CIFOR, CIRAD and IRD with support from the CBFP wanted to revive discussions on the place and importance of forestry research in Central Africa. The quality of the participants at this workshop, its participatory approach and lack of taboo subjects justify the feeling of real satisfaction experienced while discovering the outputs of this workshop. Furthermore, relevant recommendations on synergies and partnerships, priority research topics and funding provide the various stakeholders with strategic avenues for intervention, which undoubtedly, ultimately contribute toward improved management of Central Africa forest ecosystems; if everyone pitches in with a spirit of solidarity and genuine collaboration.

 

The Executive Secretariat of COMIFAC sees through the outputs of this workshop, a substantial contribution toward making operational goal No. 8 (Research and Development) of the Convergence Plan. The latter is the strategic framework for implementation of the Declaration that sanctioned the Central Africa Heads of States Summit on the conservation and sustainable management of forest ecosystems in the sub-region, held in Yaoundé in March 1999.

 

Please download the Synthetic Report: HERE

Go back

CBFP News

WWF: Rainforest deforestation more than doubled under cover of coronavirus -DW

Tropical rainforests shrank by 6,500 square kilometers in March — an area seven times the size of Berlin. Criminal groups are taking advantage of the pandemic and the unemployed are getting desperate, the WWF said.

Read more …

Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park Monthly update April 2020

"At a time when many countries are beginning their gradual deconfinement and when there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon of returning to normal life, I wanted to share with you some good news that also fills us with hope for the future of the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park."

Read more …

Resources and follow-up from the virtual FAO-EcoAgriculture Partners Roundtable

Last April 30th FAO and EcoAgriculture Partners organized a virtual Roundtable on Territorial Perspectives for Development, in which over 170 people participated.

Read more …

ATIBT -CBFP: Private Sector mobilized around the CBFP Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany

ATIBT co-facilitated the mobilization of the private sector of the timber sector to participate in the first meeting of the private sector college of Congo Basin Forest Partnership with the new facilitator Dr Christian Ruck and his team German Facilitation.

Read more …

Development and institutionalization of a PAFC certification system for the Congo basin: opening of the second public consultation on Sustainable Forest Management Certification Standard, 23 May 2020 - 22 June 2020

This second public consultation will be open for a period of 30 days from tomorrow Saturday the 23rd of May 2020 and will be closed on Monday the 22nd of June 2020. The public consultation is open to all stakeholders of forest management in the Congo Basin interested in participating to the PAFC Congo Basin certification standards development process.

Read more …

Forest defenders on the COVID-19 frontline stand ready to assist the global EU response – Fern

These efforts go hand in hand with ensuring continued responsible management of natural resources and preventing unsustainably and illegally sourced forest commodities. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, forest-monitoring organisations Observatoire de la Gouvernance Forestière (OGF) and Réseau des observateurs indépendants des ressources naturelles (RENOI) are set to carry out COVID awareness-raising in at-risk forest areas, and will also assess COVID’s impact on forest management and governance commitments under the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI). Across the Congo Basin, fears that a proper lack of oversight may put forests and forest peoples in danger are looming despite emerging initiatives.

Read more …

22 May 2020 International Day for Biological Diversity

The theme of the 2020 International Day for Biological Diversity is “Our Solutions are in Nature”. It shows that "Biodiversity remains the answer to a number of sustainable development challenges that we all face. From nature-based solutions to climate, to food and water security, and sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity remains the basis for a sustainable future."

Read more …

CBFP News Archive

2024

There are no news items for this period.