People of the Congo River Basin forests

Life in the Congo River Basin

As part of their daily life, many of the Congo River Basin’s inhabitants rely on the natural resources of the forests, which complement agricultural activities. Traditional hunter-gatherers have complex relationships with farmers, exchanging forest products for starch-rich foods and access to manufactured goods.

Agricultural activities involve extensive rotation of cleared forest spaces, cultivation, abandonment, fallow re-forestation and subsequent re-clearing.

Because rainforest soils are poor and forest productivity low, these types of farming and hunter-gathering lifestyles are only possible where there is a low population density³, as land needs are great.

The issue of land ownership

Since the colonial period, the countries of the Congo River Basin have had full ownership of forest resources and remain the sole authority, with rights to allocate resources for conservation and/or development purposes.

On the other hand, local communities have traditional claims on the land, but these do not necessarily give them legal property rights.

While communities usually have only use rights, they often perceive that their ownership rights are based on historical use, supported by oral histories of origin and occupancy.⁴ The fact is that Congo River Basin communities remain as marginalized by forest estate zoning as they were during the colonial era.⁵

The forests bear the weight of increased populations

Unemployed people turn to the forest to hunt to support themselves and their families, particularly in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Cameroon.

Forest edges of the forest-savanna mosaic bear the brunt of the population density, along with the banks of the larger navigable rivers, including the Congo River, from Kinshasa to Kisangani, and the Ubangi River. Rivers also serve key roles as transportation and trade corridors.

Construction of roads has greatly facilitated access to the interior of the forest, and many people have relocated close to roads. But logging, oil palm plantations, immigration/population growth, non-traditional hunting technology, road development and increasing access to distant markets have strained the traditional resource management system.⁶

Issues in education and health care

Although more than 60% of individuals over the age of 15 can read and write, this is a poor indicator of human capital. Few individuals have had more than a few years of schooling, only a small percentage of children attend secondary school and even fewer continue to higher education.

Low literacy rates and lack of education, particularly among women, are directly connected to high birth rates and poor health care. These are critical issues facing both conservation and human development organizations in the Congo River Basin.

 

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¹ Jeffries L. African Origins of Early Humanity. Accessed 8/2/06.
² Initiative for Central Africa. Undated. Central Africa Ethnic and Cultural Diversity. Briefing sheet.
³ CARPE. 2005. Forests of the Congo River Basin: a preliminary assessment. Balmar. Washington DC.
⁴ CARPE.2001. Community Management of Forest Resources Moving from "Keep Out!" to "Let's Collaborate!". Congo Basin Information Series. Issue Brief #17.
⁵ CARPE.2001. Community Management of Forest Resources Moving from "Keep Out!" to "Let's Collaborate!". Congo Basin Information Series. Issue Brief #17.
⁶ CARPE. 2005. Forests of the Congo River Basin: a preliminary assessment. Balmar. Washington DC.