The community-run fish pond initiative is continuing to expand through the project area as a more sustainable option to wild-caught fish, with new succes s in breeding the African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Women are leading agricultural intensification in th e project zone through Community Based Organisations (OBs), securing food and alternative income through the establishment of a new cassava species. Construction continues on new educational, water and healthcare facilities, with a new clinic in Ibali set to open in early 2022.
Agricultural intensification and diversification continue to expand across the project area, with new high yield cassava being introduced into community gardens. The women-led Community Based Organizations (OBs) have shown incredible progress, with 80% of women in the villages currently participating. The main building of the Ibali healthcare clinic has finished construction and has been equipped with new diagnostics equipment; further state-funded expansions are being planned. Poaching and logging continue to be challenging. However, a new radio- communications project is underway to improve the efficiency of incident reporting.
Over 300,000 ha of rainforest along edge of Lake Mai Ndombe in DRC was previously zoned for commercial timber extraction. The REDD+ project prevented the reinstatement of logging contracts and instead co-developed sustainable initiatives with the local community while protecting an important rainforest and wetland landscape. Agroforestry nurseries and sustainable farming crops and techniques have […]
A team specialized in biodiversity monitoring tracks high biodiversity areas twice a month, along with local community members who have been trained for that purpose. The project monitored the growth of both elephant and Bonobo populations — with elephants specifically at a high pace. Camera traps have revealed that elephants seem to be slowly returning […]
Local Development Committees have been established as key structures for local governance within the project area. Project activities are selected in consultation with the local communities as well as other key stakeholders and officials from different levels of government. The committees enable communities to determine project activities, increase the ability to respond to community issues […]
The Gender Empowerment Team has taken the lead for increased crop yield and agriculture intensification activities in the project area, with women being instrumental in developing the agricultural plantations across numerous villages in the project area – with a focus on cassava production. A few decades ago, fungi were destroying the cassava crops around Mai […]
Educational facilities have been non-existent or insufficient in most villages across the project zone. A lack of education in the region has been directly correlated with increased deforestation and negative health outcomes. 11 schools have completed construction with a further 7 underway. A total of 32 schools are planned to be completed during the project […]
Farming of fish is not traditionally undertaken by the local communities. Whilst some villages are home to fisherman, they predominantly use the wild caught method and as such, aquaculture is a very new concept. To sustain their food supply and potential income, the local communities have decided to continue to utilise their carbon offset benefit […]
Improved healthcare is one of the most important activities in the Mai Ndombe REDD+ project given the very poor health and nutritional status of community members across the project area. Over ⅓ of children under 5 are malnourished and many are at high risk from malaria, together leading to a high mortality rate of 220 […]