"Six pieds sur terre", a podcast co-produced by AFD and Courrier International, is currently publishing a series entitled "The Call of the Forest". At the end of October, it gave the floor to George Akwah, FSC Congo Basin Coordinator.
"The forests of the Congo Basin, which extend over six countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon), are also an essential source of food for more than 60 million people. However, they are increasingly threatened, particularly by the exploitation of forest resources and the illegal timber trade.
Could the solution to deforestation be found in the "sustainable exploitation" of the forest? Would authorizing and controlling exploitation allow for better protection of ecosystems?
This is what George Akwah defends. For this anthropologist and regional coordinator of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), wood certification, if it is generalized, would guarantee the sustainable management of forests on an international scale. He explains why and looks at the promising case of Gabon's forests, which now serve as a model for neighboring countries.
Find the podcast on the Courrier International website
This podcast is also available on Deezer and Spotify.
