22 May 2021, Kabo, Republic of Congo - A view of the Sangha river dividing the Republic of Congo and Cameroon. Bushmeat hunters from both countries hunt in nearby Cameroon's Lesedi National Park because they know the eco guard post is about 15 km away and there is a good chance they won't be caught. Congolese hunters from this area also hunt in and around the periphery of Mbali Ndoki National Park to supply the largest town of Ouesso with a huge quantity of bushmeat on a daily basis.
Background information
The SWM Programme activities in Congo focus on the forest concessions that constitute the wild meat (game and fish) supply basin of the town of Ouesso. Hunting and fishing are important sources of food and income. To secure the sustainable use of wild protein by the local populations of traditional villages (indigenous and Bantu) located in these forest concessions, the project operates at three scales. The aim is to balance the supply and demand for wild meat products in 1) traditional villages, 2) secondary towns and forest camps and 3) cities. Community hunting areas overlap with logging concessions. Some of the concession are FSC certified and are working with the SWM Programme to achieve sustainable levels of hunting and prohibit the sale of wild meat.
