The «Fondation biotechnologie pour le développement durable de l’Afrique (BDA)» Canada adheres to the Congo basin Forest Partnership (CBFP), approves its cooperation framework and contributes to support the implementation of COMIFAC Convergence Plan.

Montréal (Canada), 11 April 2012 – The «Fondation biotechnologie pour le développement durable de l’Afrique (BDA)» Canada officially confirmed its its desire to join the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP). BDA Canada agrees to comply with the principles of sustainable management of forest ecosystems in Central Africa, to work in close collaboration in accordance with the cooperation framework of CBFP partners and to support the implementation of COMIFAC Convergence Plan.

By becoming a CBFP member, BDA expects to improve on its effectiveness and increase its impact within the Congo Basin, all in collaboration with its local and international partners.

The «Fondation biotechnologie pour le développement durable de l’Afrique (BDA)» Canada adheres to the Congo basin Forest Partnership (CBFP), approves its cooperation framework and contributes to support the implementation of COMIFAC Convergence Planis a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support scientific cooperation and provide technical training and support as well as initiating biotechnological projects related to the sustainable development of indigenous medicinal plants. The BDA Foundation trains African entrepreneurs methods of cultivating medicinal plants from a sustainable development perspective. BDA is conducting a pilot-project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and envisions replicating the experience in other african countries.

The Plante Action® Programme of BDA currently implemented in the DRC, in the Luki biosphere reserve, Mayombe forest, is mainly funded by the Congo Basin Forest Fund (CBFF), which you already know. This programme aims at developing the economic sector of value-added plant (PVA) exportation, including non-timber forest products (NTFP) while preserving local biodiversity, by training certified “ecopreneurs”, ecologically responsible entrepreneurs, in the management of modern agricultural eco-enterprises in accordance with international quality standards and by developing packaging centres to ensure and monitor the quality of PVA products.

BDA seeks to show concretely that it is economically more profitable for African populations to trade high quality value-added plants, with a high commercial potential at international level, while preserving forest ecosystems in a sustainable and responsible manner, than to fell trees in the forest. Thus, for the local forest populations, its programme is clearly presented as an alternative to deforestation, poaching and carbonization. The cultivation of some PVAs such as mfumbwa, a local creeper very rich in nutrients, and moringa, is carried out simultaneously with the reforestation of the territory.

The socio-economic impacts of the Plante Action^® programme on the local communities are many as they shall benefit from the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the medium and long terms, thus alleviating poverty where BDA eco-enterprises shall be set up.

BDA is already about to finalize a collaboration agreement with the African Network of Model Forests (RAFM), and also in partnership since several years with the Worldwide Fund for Nature in Congo (WWF-CARPO RDC), and ICRAF. BDA also collaborates with several governmental entities in the DRC, especially with its supervising ministry, the Ministry of Agriculture, and plans in its future projects various capacity building plans for its local partner organizations, especially in the domain of international business management and PVA improved agronomic techniques. In terms of participation to local consultation frameworks, BDA is a member of several national committee and sub-committees in the DRC in relation to the national REDD+ programme and provides for the establishment of a pilot committee on the development of the PVA sector in the DRC.

Eventually, BDA programme complies with the common approach of COMIFAC countries for the development and the implementation of a regional policy for Access to and Sharing of Benefits (APA). By respecting the principles of COMIFAC Convergence Plan, the Congolese government initiated a series of reforms including the protection of local communities and their rights to APA related to the forest and its resources. The Plante Action® programme enables the valorization of genetic resources and offers opportunities for local communities as far as sustainable business mechanisms which favour the sharing of benefits are concerned.

 “Welcome” to our new member «Fondation biotechnologie pour le développement durable de l’Afrique (BDA)» from Canada

To learn more, please visit the BDA Canada website http://www.bdafoundation.org/en