The project contributes to poverty alleviation and sustainable forest management in Central Africa in general and specifically in Burundi, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe through the valorization of non-wood forest products by local people, including support to developing small scale forest enterprises.

1. Introduction

The Congo Basin is among the world’s major reservoirs of biological diversity. The biological resources are exploited by 70 million persons to satisfy their subsistence needs, income generation and employment. The major NWFP in the region are edible and medicinal plants, bush meat, insects, honey, rattan and other fibers for building shelter or tools. In general, due to rapid population growth, the agricultural production of the region is insufficient and does not cover all food needs of the population.

The project will contribute to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) through its activities geared in favor of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, promoting gender equality, sustaining the environment and instituting an international/regional partnership for development.

2. FAO and NWFP in Central Africa

FAO has long standing experience on providing technical advice on NWFP management and related policy formulation in Central Africa. The Central African Forests Commission (COMIFAC) is FAO’s main regional counterpart organization in Central Africa. Various field projects in support to its Executive Secretariat and its Convergence Plan have been implemented in conjunction with Central African Governments. The current project benefits from this institutional stronghold, the well-established networking, the profound commitment within FAO, COMIFAC and concerned Governments.

Strategic Alliance Project

 financed by the African Development Bank (ADB) through the Congo Basin Forest Fund (CBFF); Regional level: Central African Forests Commission (COMIFAC), FAO (SFC & SFE) and the Regional Project Coordination based in Libreville, Gabon; National level: Burundi (Ministry of Water, Environment, Territorial Administration and Urbanism), Chad (Ministry of Environment, Water and Halieutic Resources), Equatorial Guinea (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry), Rwanda (Ministry of Natural Resources), Sao Tome and Principe (Ministry of Agriculture, fishery and Rural Development); Executing Agency: FAO; Funding: 3.37 million Euros. Duration: 4 february 2014 - 3 februray 2017 (3 years).

For more Information, please download the Full version of:the Information Note N° 1 (March 2014)  - Project Presentation : Enhancing the Contribution of Non-Wood Forest Products to Food Security in Central Africa (GCP/RAF/479/AFB)

This information note was elaborated within the framework of the NWFP project funded by the African Development Bank (ADB) through the Congo Basin Forest Fund (CBFF). For more information, please contact: Ousseynou Ndoye, Chief Technical Advisor, FAO Sub regional office for Central Africa, Tel: +241 01774783. Fax: +241 01740035, Ousseynou.Ndoye@fao.org; Jean Claude Nguinguiri, Forestry Officer, FAO Sub regional office for Central Africa, JeanClaude.Nguinguiri@fao.org; Paul Vantomme, Senior Forestry Officer, FAO, 00100 Rome, Italy, Tel:+39 0657054730, Fax:+39 0657055137, Paul.Vantomme@fao.org