The mining and oil sectors do not cause important deforestation in Central Africa, at least in terms of surface area. Yet, they open access to pristine forests (and as such can also be categorized as an indirect driver) and encourage migrations. Numerous new projects are being considered in these sectors. For example, most of DRC’s primary rainforest has been included in exploration concessions, while exploration contracts were issued in the Republic Congo in the peatland area.

In Central Africa, as in the rest of the world, rural land tenure is considered a key issue for the implementation of measures to reduce deforestation and degradation. Land tenure legislation in Central Africa is generally marked by the important weight of the state in economic activity, the importance of “reclamation” for agricultural development and the absence of environmental concerns. The forestry codes have focused on regulating logging in areas that are generally considered to be state-owned, and have paid little attention to the issue of forest tenure. Registration, which is not designed for small farmers or communities, is slow, costly and little used

Demographic pressure on forests varies widely across different CAFI partner countries. In Gabon for example, population density is low and concentrated in urban centers. By contrast, in the DRC, about half of the population lives in rural areas and depends on forest resources for food, land, energy and shelter. Demographic pressure was identified by the DRC national driver analyses on deforestation as an important underlying cause of deforestation, which was reiterated in the Forest Reference Emission Level submitted to the UNFCCC in 2018. DRC is projected to have the World’s third largest population growth (in millions) towards 2050, and is projected to be, by 2100, the World’s 5th most populous country.

Land use planning is a necessary policy tool for a long-term vision of sustainable development. It allows for a more balanced distribution of activities and populations in space and time across territories. It is also an instrument for national cohesion, mitigating conflicting interests and competition over land and resources that have been major driving forces of forest conversion. And in a region where forests cover from 41 to 93 % of the countries, planning how land is allocated and used means planning for forests. Integrated land-use planning is carried out across sectors and levels of government, and involves the allocation of land for different uses across a landscape in a way that balances economic interests, social value and forest cover.

CAFI supports national governance structures that guide and monitor the results of its investments.

In the DRC, CAFI funds the Executive Secretariat and the meetings of the two multi-stakeholder committees (the Steering Committee and the Technical Committee) of the National REDD+ Fund, that is responsible for programming and monitoring results. CAFI also supports a dedicated programme in the DRC to strengthen civil society voice and representation. At the local level, CAFI supports, through provincial multi-sectorial programmes (PIREDDs), the planning, coordination and monitoring of rural development mechanisms, with 830 local development committees established or strengthened to date across 8 provinces.

Including gender equality considerations in CAFI programming builds on a human right-based approach to development. Moreover, engaging and involving women and other vulnerable groups in efforts to reduce forest loss is essential for long-term results and change to current trends, due to their unique knowledge and the key role they play in involved sectors.