Democratic
Republic of
Congo

DR Congo

What is the local context of the Democratic Republic of Congo and how can we address it?

Deforestation

Unfortunately, the DRC is also the third largest tropical country in the world in terms of forest loss, with almost 15 million hectares lost between 2001-2019 (CAFI, 2024). A major reason for this deforestation and forest degradation is the production of charcoal and firewood for the local population, alongside slash-and-burn agriculture.

Local context

Particular focus of SAFE will be laid on the forest ecosystems of the Virunga National Park (North Kivu), the Kahuzi-Biega National Park (South Kivu), the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve (Tshopo) and the Salonga North and South National Parks (Tshuapa, Sankuru, Mai-Ndombe).

Biodiversity

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is home to over 155 million hectares of tropical forest in the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest tropical forest, covering about 10% of global forests and 47% of Africa’s forests. The DRC’s diverse landscapes, from dense forests to savannahs, support a rich variety of flora and fauna, including three species of great apes, with the eastern lowland gorilla and bonobo being endemic. The DRC has been a Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) since 1994 (National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (v.3)).

Agriculture

Due to the great forest cover, the agricultural production at a large scale is not very extensive in DRC. Smallholder farmers (around 70% percent of the active population) cultivate for their own use and only some commodities are for export, for example coffee or cocoa. Within the country’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, it is set out to reduce the impact of agriculture on the forest while actively contributing to the country’s food security objectives and the desire to make the agricultural sector a pillar of the country’s economic growth (National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (v.3)).

Decoupling Agriculture from Deforestation

The deforestation within the DRC is strongly connected to the poverty of the local population who mainly use wood from cut down trees for firewood or agricultural purposes (slash-and-burn agriculture). The infrastructure within the country in combination with the unstable security in many regions, makes it difficult to change existing structures to stop deforestation.

Approach

The SAFE Project in Democratic Republic of Congo aims to sensitize the public and the private sector about the EUDR and its relevance for future exports from the Democratic Republic of Congo to the EU market.

The project is working with public and private partners to promote sustainable agricultural practices, minimize forest degradation, and prevent deforestation, specifically around protected forest ecosystems.

Commodities SAFE is working on in DRC

Approach

The SAFE Project in Democratic Republic of Congo aims to sensitize the public and the private sector about the EUDR and its relevance for future exports from the Democratic Republic of Congo to the EU market.

The project is working with public and private partners to promote sustainable agricultural practices, minimize forest degradation, and prevent deforestation, specifically around protected forest ecosystems.

Commodities SAFE is working on in DR Congo

Activities

Traceability

The cross-sector cooperation to improve traceability systems is supported. This includes geolocation of plantations, product certification, and eco-traceability for cocoa, coffee, and rubber value chains. Special emphasis is placed on training smallholders and cooperatives to manage traceability and comply with EUDR regulations.

Working with: Virunga Foundation

Land Tenure

Constraints linked to rural land tenure and the legality of access to agricultural land by smallholders is analysed. Through concrete mitigation measures and capacity buildings, smallholders, especially women and indigenous peoples are supported in accessing rural land tenure.

Inclusive Business Partnerships

Agrobusiness clusters are being developed to foster inclusive business partnerships between smallholder farmers and buyers exporting to the EU market. These partnerships aim to strengthen the economic resilience of cocoa and coffee cooperatives while ensuring compliance with EUDR standards​.

Promoting Sustainability
and EUDR Compliance

SAFE DRC works with stakeholders, including the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD), to promote sustainable cocoa, coffee, and rubber supply chains. Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) are facilitated to develop incentive policies and strategies that improve the business climate, access to finance, and ensure EUDR compliance across value chains​.

Sustainable Production

Good agricultural and post-harvest practices that protect forest ecosystems while maintaining the quality of market products are identified. Training modules are developed to train value chain actors in sustainable production systems and ensure compliance with EUDR quality standards.

Access to Finance

Access to public and private financial services for cooperatives and businesses involved in forest conservation is facilitated. The project supports efforts to ensure that cocoa, coffee, and rubber value chains have the financial backing needed to meet EUDR requirements.

Partners

Region:

(Lower) Kafue Catchment Ecosystem

Target group:

Farmers and community forest management groups

Key activities:
  • Support community forest management groups in the
    sustainable management of natural resources and livelihood creation
  • Support farmers to produce soy in line with the EUDR and increase productivity, and implement transparency and traceability pilots
Commodities:
Region:

Lampung, West Kalimantan, and Central Sulawesi

Target group:

Smallholder farmers, private sector, and civil society organizations along the value chains

Key activities:
  • Empowering Smallholder Farmers and Farmer Organizations by facilitating traceability and legality, building capacity on Good Agriculture Practices (GAP), and strengthening farmer organizations, ensuring inclusive support for both men and women farmers.
  • Promoting sustainable practices and collaboration by supporting village HCV/HCS conservation efforts, testing and strengthening the National Dashboard for traceability and legality, and fostering national and regional exchanges.
Commodities:
Coming soon
Coming soon
Region:

Provinces of Orellana and Sucumbíos

Target group:

Smallholder farmers, women, indigenous people and youth

Key activities:
  • Promoting Multi Stakeholder Dialogues
  • Improving traceabilty systems
Commodities:
Region:

Xingu territory, State of Pará

Target group:

Family farmers

Key activities:
  • Improve market access; value creation and access to finance
  • Integrate farmers into tracability systems
Commodities:
Global activities