MARKETS & ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOODS

MARKETS AND ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOODS

Effective marketing of sustainable charcoal

WWF staff worked with plantation owners and charcoal producers in North Kivu to effectively market sustainably produced charcoal. A total of 6,593 tonnes of charcoal was produced and marketed over the last year, of which 4,856 tonnes were sold by individual plantation owners and 1,737 tonnes sold via the cooperatives.

Marketing of honey, other NTFPs and agricultural products in Virunga landscape

From January 2020 to June 2021, 4,262 kg of honey was produced by local beekeepers, but the quantity sold was not disclosed. The sectors of other NTFPs have not yet been developed because simple management plans have not yet been implemented.

Market Analysis and Development for the planning and development of small forest enterprises

In LTMN, a report was produced identifying NTFPs that can be sustainably harvested from 14 community forest concessions that have received their titles, which will inform potential opportunities to establish small community enterprises.

Bonobo habituation for Ecotourism in Malebo

Bonobo habituation continued at Malebo, in Mai Ndombe, and additional skills training was provided to 12 trackers, who now collect bonobo behavioral data using iPads. The site hosted only two ecotourism tours in the last year, as the Covid pandemic greatly affected both national and international travel. The promotion of ecotourism activities and community forestry in Malebo are seen as effective tools for the conservation and preservation of natural capital, especially bonobos which remain the main attraction. While communities in Malebo recognize that ecotourism can be an important economic lever, we continue to develop and promote other livelihood activities to diversify earnings sources, in particular, the sustainable use of non-timber forest products, beekeeping, crafts, and improved processing of agricultural products to add value.

Diversification of the ecotourism package and improvement of visitor reception centre

WWF-DRC, working with ERAIFT, mapped the potential for ecotourism in and around the Luki Biosphere Reserve in Congo Central, which revealed several interesting sites. A meeting with traditional leaders, eco-guides and the local community development committee was organized to discuss a how these groups can collaborate to further develop ecotourism potential of the Reserve. In order to diversify the ecotourism experience of the Luki Biosphere Reserve, a training mission for eco-guards was organized, and camera traps were deployed between November and December 2020. These camera traps were recovered between February and March 2021, and the recovered images suggest the presence of numerous pressures on the fauna in the reserve. The possibility for habituation of recently detected chimpanzees is being explored, to integrate wildlife viewing into an ecotourism route.