Supporting communities in the sustainable management of natural resources in Moboma

Background The indirect project area is the Basse Lobaye Biosphere forest reserve (18,200 ha / 146km2), in the southwest of CAR (Moboma commune), bordering Congo B. The region is covered by humid forest, 75% of which are under logging concession (SCAD). The reserve is bordering the concession and there is a risk (according to NGO) of illegal logging inside the reserve. Congolese poachers are also active in the reserve. Local communities are poor, and receive no benefit from commercial logging. These communities (in the buffer zone) make unsustainable use of resources in the reserve – wood collection, mining. There are no means for proper management of the reserve – no control by responsible authorities. Reason for project OCDN (Organisation Centreafricaine pour la Défense de la Nature) has successfully conducted in the pas two studies, one financed by Cordaid and the other by IUCN NL. As many NGO’s in the CAR OCDN is composed of volunteers and has no real financial basis that could allow her to grow and developed itself. This has restricted, in a way, her intervention as well as her potential within CS. General goal The proposed project aim has two important objectives; on the one hand, it is to strengthen OCDN’s organizational and institutional capacities, as well as some of its members and colleagues organizations in CAR. In a later stage, it will also contribute to the reinforcement of OCDN’s activities in Basse Lobaye, and more particularly in the sustainable management of the natural resources of the Biosphere Reserve of Basse Lobaye. In order to do so OCDN, together with the technical support of the Rainforest Foundation UK, will develop a series of activities in organizational reinforcement, professional trainings and others. Main objectives are: To reinforce the technical and strategic organizational capacities of OCDN To create/ reinforce new internal communication and information capacities To develop lobby and advocacy strategies within OCDN and other relevant env. NGOs in CAR The main expected results are: The strategic and technical capacities of OCDN are reinforced and have improved the efficacy of its intervention within natural resources management in Basse Lobaye. OCDN has new communication means (internet and bulletin) that enables her to influence public opinion / decision makers CS at large and decision makers are more sensitive to environmental issues and are aware of the necessity to develop participative natural resources management policies. OCDN and its fellow NGO colleagues are capacitated and able to develop lobby actions OCDN and fellow Ngo’s participate actively and share their vision with other actors on the political environment discussions. OCDN has been monitored and evaluated by th RF UK (learning trajectory)