Feasibility study of the project Restoration of forests and landscapes in the Central African Republic République centrafricaine

Context of the service

CAR's natural resources and the environmental and economic services they provide to local populations are threatened by unsustainable practices: slash-and-burn agriculture, fuelwood extraction, bushfires mainly related to hunting (bushmeat), etc.
The extent of forest and landscape degradation is not precisely known, but the rate of deforestation (0.17% between 2000 and 2010 for the 13 southern prefectures of CAR, twice the global rate) indicates that there is significant pressure on forests in particular and landscapes in general.
CAR has suffered for decades from politico-military instability (the last crisis of 2013 being the most critical) and sluggish growth. The vast majority of local populations suffer from extreme poverty and food insecurity, and their livelihoods rely heavily on natural resources.

Services provided

The expert prepared the project document from A to Z, following the guidelines of GEF and FAO, after conducting an in-depth literature review, field missions, multiple consultations (private sector, local communities and especially pygmies, public services, NGOs, research centers, etc.). The project ($6.3 million) is structured into four components:
- Strengthening of policies (development plan for the South-West, wood energy supply plan for Bangui, draft forest policy, national action plan on biodiversity),
- Implementation of restoration actions and income-generating activities in the South-West (3,200 ha to be restored using agroforestry and agroecology practices, including 1,250 ha via a public-private partnership between the State and a forestry company),
- Capacity building (in terms of restoration, agroecology, etc. for technical service agents and populations),
- Dissemination of knowledge (technical guide of good practices in terms of restoration, technical days, etc.)

Summary of the service

Feasibility study of the project Restoration of forests and landscapes in the Central African Republic (6 MUSD): Bibliographic analyses; Field visits and interviews in the Southwest; Development of the project to encourage rural households to restore old wastelands, using agroforestry and agroecological techniques, in order to reduce the degradation of natural resources and increase the standard of living of the populations.