Congo - The advantages of the forest economy

The forestry sector in Congo remains today the country's second largest economic sector, which is a major producer of tropical hardwoods, including logs, sawn timber and panels.

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The Ministry of Forestry Economy prioritizes poverty reduction and the development of the forestry and timber sector as a driver of growth. Indeed, the Congolese forestry sector is essential not only in the fight against climate change but also economically, contributing 61.3 trillion to Congo's gross domestic product and 361.3 trillion to its tax revenue.

The Republic of Congo has an estimated forest cover of 22.4 million hectares, representing 651 million hectares of the total land area, of which 14.67 million hectares are allocated as forest concessions (DGF, 2020). There is potential for approximately 300 tree species, but only about fifty are currently harvested and commercially processed. 71,000 hectares consist of plantation forests, a sector that has seen significant growth in recent years with the emergence of industrial plantation projects.

Following the launch of the project to operationalize the National Measurement, Reporting, and Verification System (Syna-MNV), the project to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from forests in the Republic of Congo (Préforest), and the project to strengthen the potential of sustainable wood energy in the Republic of Congo (Prorep), a memorandum of understanding on forest management was signed on April 20, 2023, between the Minister of Forest Economy and the representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The document entrusts state agencies with the coordination of three projects: carbon emission monitoring, sustainable wood energy, and forest plantations. These three projects are funded by the Green Climate Fund (approximately 27.9 billion CFA francs) and the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) (5.3 billion CFA francs). The FAO acts as the technical partner for the implementation of these projects.

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Funded to the tune of 27.9 billion FCFA by the Green Climate Fund, the Proforest project aims to create 14,500 hectares of agroforestry plantations, as well as 500 hectares of assisted natural regeneration in the departments of Plateaux, Pool, Bouenza, Niari, and Kouilou. The Prorep project, meanwhile, involves the construction of 2,700 hectares of plantations dedicated to fuelwood production to supply the capital, Brazzaville. It received 4.1 billion FCFA in funding from the CAFI (Central African Forest Initiative). The CAFI is also funding the Syna-MNV project, with a total cost of 1.2 billion FCFA, over a two-year period across the entire country. Ultimately, this project will allow for the evaluation of national performance in reducing emissions related to deforestation and forest cover degradation, with a particular focus on poverty reduction.

A COMMUNITY AGROFORESTRY PROJECT
Promoting community agroforestry is a significant challenge in the context of climate change. This community agroforestry project is funded with $8 million, thanks to additional funds from the Forest Investment Program and the Strategic Climate Fund. Launched in January 2023, it aims to plant 15,000 hectares of trees as part of the Integrated Development of Agricultural Value Chains in Congo Project (PRODIVAC). The African Development Bank (AfDB) manages the allocated funds. Of the 15,000 hectares to be developed in the coming months, 500 hectares are designated for cocoa and cashew nut production, 4,500 hectares for fuelwood forests, and 10,000 hectares of individual land for growing food crops such as maize, bananas, and cassava. The planning will be carried out in accordance with the National Afforestation and Reforestation Program (Pronar), which is responsible for operationalizing the agroforestry project. This project aims to facilitate access to secure land for local producers and to strengthen the technical and organizational capacities of community groups. It covers the districts of Djambala (Plateaux), Louingui (Pool), Nkayi, and Loudima (Bouenza).