Kinshasa, October 5th, 2025 (CPA) – An agroforestry fair showcasing products from local community forest concessions (CFCL) in the Bafwasende territory, more than 100 km east of Kisangani, in the province of Tshopo, north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been opened on Saturday during a ceremony.
« This agroforestry fair promotes products from the forest concessions of the local communities of Bafwasende. Taking part in this fair is a way of germinating ideas, developing projects and growing a movement”, has declared Didier Lomoyo Iteku, acting governor of Tshopo province. From October 4th to 6th, 2025, at the Espace des Martyrs in the centre of Kisangani, thirteen local communities and indigenous peoples from Bafwasende will be exhibiting and selling a variety of agricultural, forestry, beekeeping and traditional pharmacopoeia products, demonstrating their know-how and the wealth of their local resources. The provincial Minister in charge of the Environment, Bijoux Koy Taka, has indicated that her recent visit to the area had enabled her to witness the exemplary efforts of local communities to protect the forests while developing sustainable economic activities.
She went on to say that it was with this in mind that she has encouraged the organisation of this fair in order to promote local products and offer new market opportunities to producers. On behalf of the technical and financial partners, Jolie Schure, Programme Manager of the international organisation Tenure Facility, has emphasised that this fair celebrates the work of local communities committed to the sustainable management of their forests and the development of their agricultural and forestry products.
She has also reminded us that this event is a platform for exchanges, visibility and partnerships between the communities and the various players present. The agroforestry fair, organised by Tropenbos RDC in partnership with the provincial Ministry in charge of the Environment, receives technical and financial support from the Tenure Facility, as well as strategic support from the Kingdom of Belgium, the Netherlands and the European Union. CPA/