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Building knowledge about
climate change adaptation
in the Congo Basin
Most rural communities in the Congo Basin
depend heavily on forests for food, water,
fuelwood and medicinal plants. However,
scientists have warned that Sub-Saharan
Africa may be among the regions hit hardest
by climate change – threatening this source
of livelihoods.
A recent CIFOR project studied the
relationship between forest resources and
food security, water, energy and health in
Cameroon, Central African Republic and the
Democratic Republic of Congo. The objective
was to contribute to national adaptation
strategies that ensure the continued
sustainable use of forest resources.
The project – funded by the UK Department
for International Development and Canada’s
International Development Research Centre
– trained 40 master’s students in adaptation
and climate change research and involved
them in studying the vulnerability of people
to any impacts global warming will have on
forest use.
While climate change mitigation receives
occasional media coverage in the Congo
Basin, there is less awareness of adaptation.
For this reason, the project included
journalists in seminars for scientists and
decision makers, and mounted field trips
for reporters in the three project countries.
Scientists mentored the journalists for
three months and, during the same period,
were encouraged to pass on their new
adaptation knowledge to up‑and‑coming
media students.
A series of public meetings was held to
share project findings with stakeholders
and to discuss their perceptions – and
misperceptions – about climate change.
And six pilot adaptation sites (two per
country) brought together farmers and
researchers to study the current vulnerability
of communities to climate change and
to consider together the best adaptation
strategies for their needs.
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