Indigenous communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo are finally getting a chance to protect their ancestral lands using traditional knowledge that’s been overlooked for decades, according to a new project launched by the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, according to the original press release. The initiative puts the Twa Indigenous Peoples and local communities at the center of protecting one of the world’s largest tropical forests instead of keeping them on the sidelines. Despite having Africa’s richest wildlife diversity and 155 million hectares of forest, DRC’s protected areas were designed without considering how indigenous groups traditionally managed these lands.
The project focuses on Tanganyika Province, where communities have been cut off from managing territories their ancestors have stewarded for generations. DRC’s national parks cover 13% of the country but were created using a top-down approach that ignored local expertise about forest management. This has left communities unable to pursue sustainable livelihoods from natural resources while also limiting effective conservation efforts.
The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund is working with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to change this dynamic through a comprehensive approach. Communities will restore 14,000 hectares of damaged ecosystems and gain legal recognition for managing at least 150,000 hectares of their traditional lands. The project also aims to create nature-friendly businesses around honey, mushrooms, caterpillars, and sustainable farming that could benefit over 60 community enterprises and 6,000 households.
Indigenous women and youth are getting special attention through new value chains that turn forest products into income while protecting biodiversity. The Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development is backing policy changes that would formally recognize community land rights and traditional conservation practices. These changes could serve as a model for other provinces if successful.
This represents a major shift from conservation projects that treated local people as obstacles rather than partners. By combining traditional knowledge with modern conservation science, the initiative hopes to prove that communities can be the best guardians of the forests they call home.
