Scoping the environmental and social evaluation of a mega-forest plantation project Congo
AGRICULTURE 
ENVIRONMENT 
FORESTRY
Services: Diagnostics and feasibility studies
Countries: Congo
Dates of intervention: 2020/10 - 2020/11
Amount executed: 28 100 €
Total amount of the service: 28 100 €
Main backer: Confidentiality agreement client
Main beneficiary: Confidentiality agreement
Support provider: SalvaTerra
Experts: David COMBAZ, Olivier BOUYER
Context of the service
The National Afforestation and Reforestation Programme (PRONAR) was launched in 2011 under the supervision of the Ministry of Forest Economy (MEF) with the objective of reaching one million hectares planted by 2020, 70% of which funded by private operators.
In this context, a French industrial group has expressed interest in creating a forest plantation with agro-forestry in a land reserve in the Districts of Ngo and Mpouya, Department of Plateaux.
Implemented as part of the Group's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, this project aims to create a significant carbon sink certified VCS and CCBS.
Of the 55,000 ha initially dominated by grassy savannahs, 40,000 ha are expected to be planted: 38,000 ha of Acacia mangium (exploitation after 20 years for timber, plywood and fuelwood) and 2,000 ha of Acacia auriculiformis intercropped with cassava (8-year rotation for fuelwood and cassava).
Services provided
Based on the World Bank's Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and Environmental and Social Standards (ESS), and by combining literature reviews, field observations and interviews with communities, the experts assessed:
- Potential environmental impacts, in particular those related to the conservation of heritage biodiversity (endemic or threatened species, natural habitats and ecosystems with high conservation value).
- Potential social impacts, in particular those related to working conditions, local populations' health and safety, human rights and indigenous rights, legal and traditional land tenure, and conflict management mechanisms.
These preliminary assessments provided a framework for the objectives and steps of a detailed environmental and social assessment, which was subsequently conducted by SalvaTerra.
Summary of the service
Scoping the environmental and social evaluation of a mega-forest plantation project (40,000 ha) based on the World Bank's Environmental and Social Standards (ESS): Environmental impacts (endemic or threatened species, natural habitats, etc.); Social impacts (employed workforce, populations' health and safety, human rights and indigenous rights, etc.); Objectives and steps for a detailed environmental and social evaluation.