Kopekoba – Technical assistance for sustainable land use in the Republic of the Congo

The Investment Programme of the Sustainable Land Use Programme (called Kopekoba) is assisting the Republic of the Congo with its transition towards a low-carbon economy by reconciling sustainable agricultural development, the conservation of natural resources and improvements in living conditions for rural communities. “Kopekoba” is derived from the Lingala phrase “Kolona Pe Kobatela”, meaning “cultivate and protect”.

More specifically, this programme aims to reduce deforestation, especially related to slash and burn agriculture and the unregulated exploitation of fuelwood, while diversifying the national economy beyond its dependence on hydrocarbons. 

In this respect, the Kopekoba programme is part of an integrated approach to sustainable development, based on four lines of action:

• Intensify sustainable agriculture, in accordance with national strategies for land use planning
• Support investments by operators in two value chains: climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and zero-deforestation agriculture (ZDA)
• Secure a sustainable supply of fuelwood in the cities of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire
• Deploy monitoring-evaluation mechanisms to monitor the results of the projects financed by the Kopekoba programme and guide the future development of CSA and ZDA towards the most effective practices  

Under the Kopekoba programme, Expertise France is working with the Ministry of Development, Territorial Equipment and Public Works to deploy technical assistance through a team based in Brazzaville. 

We are assisting with the operational and organisational implementation of the project by:

• Supporting the programme management units of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MAEP) and the Ministry of Forest Economy (MEF)
• Directly implementing certain activities

Our team is mobilising a wide range of tools to support the implementation of the key activities of the programme:

• Selection and development of 15 pilot areas, integrating participatory territorial management plans
• Structuring of sustainable agricultural sectors, with a focus on resilient value chains in savanna and forest areas
• Investments in innovative and sustainable agricultural practices by supporting research and the dissemination of good practices, especially in the sectors of climate-smart agriculture and zero-deforestation agriculture
• Capacity building for State and non-State operators, including the creation of innovation centres for sustainable agriculture and relay farms