Community Development

Over 12,000 people live on the periphery of Odzala-Kokoua. Within these communities, there are nine major ethnic groups and a broad range of cultures including the Bakouélé in the north, the Mboko in the south and the Bangombé, Banguili and Bokiba to the east of the park.

Recognising the importance of community rights, Odzala partners with the Congolese NGO Cercle des Droits de l’Homme et de Développement (CDHD) and Observatoire Congolais des droits de l’Homme (OCDH). The CDHD and OCDH conduct regular missions across the park periphery engaging communities on national wildlife laws and their rights. This collaboration ensures continuous and open dialogue on human rights between the park and local residents, reinforcing a multifaceted approach to community engagement.

The Land Use Plan process and social mapping initiatives being carried out by the park in collaboration with local communities aim to identify all sites of cultural relevance to local communities, such as ancient villages and sites where traditional ceremonies are celebrated, to ensure access to these are supported and maintained.

In 2024, efforts were made to strengthen safeguard mechanisms and deepen understanding of the cultural and livelihood needs of all communities living around the park, in particular relating to the Indigenous (or Autochthones) Peoples. A key initiative was a study on the Autochthone people, conducted by ethno-anthropologist Dr Jean-Pierre Nguede Ngono. Insights from this study have informed an Indigenous Peoples Plan within the overall Community Development Plan. 

In addition to regular community meetings, since 2010, Odzala has implemented a key aspect of its management strategy by establishing governance groups called Associations de Surveillance et de Développement Durable (ASDDs). In each village, four ASDD members are democratically elected from a selection of community members, and include a village elder, sage, women’s representative, indigenous representative and youth representative. The ASDDs play a crucial role in the park’s human-wildlife coexistence and allow meaningful, targeted and collaborative community project developments as well as park governance, with two members sitting on the Odzala-Kokoua-Lossi Foundation Board.

As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen community engagement, the existing village ASDDs were reinforced in 2024, enabling communities to actively participate in the governance of natural resources. In addition, Focal Points have been appointed: community representatives that serve as a direct link with the park and are chosen from the villages they represent. The initial goal of trained Focal Points has been to support community sensitisation on the grievance mechanism and human-wildlife conflict management. This has been complemented by activities to mitigate the impact of human-wildlife conflict (HWC). In 2024, over 100 people received support through the devastation insurance programme. One community received an elephant-proof electric fence, while eight were assisted with HWC trenches to prevent elephants from entering and destroying crops. Additionally, three communities introduced an adapted chilli-bottle fence designed to be more weather-resistant. 

These initiatives, together with the IPP, are part of an integrated effort to support the development of the entire community around the park. By establishing stronger communication channels, supporting land rights, and creating livelihood opportunities, long-term stewardship of Odzala’s forests and wildlife is being strengthened in partnership with local communities.

Eco-Teams

Launched in 2022, the Eco-team project comprises over 20 young people from five villages around the park.  With their main role being the collection of data for biodiversity conservation management, these community members have also become a crucial connection between the park and the villages.

In the south of the park, the Eco-team near Ebana village monitors a previously habituated gorilla group, while the team in Bossouaka collects human-wildlife conflict data in the area. More Eco-teams have been launched in the east and north, collecting data to better understand resource harvesting, bushmeat trading and human-wildlife conflict around local villages.  

More than 1,000 students engage in environmental education programmes every year. In 2024, one school was constructed, while a total of nine schools were supported with 12 teacher salaries and 25 scholarships. Environmental education reached over 2,500 students through Nature Clubs and in-school modules. 

Income-generating activities focus on sustainable agriculture, artisanal crafts and sustainable use of natural resources. Youth education, as well as learning skills, trades, apprenticeships, and ecotourism, help to address unemployment. 

A key initiative is non-timber forest products, such as wild mango, with local community members leading harvesting efforts in the park’s eco-development and buffer zones. These harvested fruits are either sold independently or processed into products such as soap, oil, or powder. Cocoa production has also been integrated into the local economy, with over 40 growers working directly with the park. To increase cocoa production, some 15,000 additional cocoa trees were planted in existing plantations. 

As part of the goal of sustainable access to natural resources, Odzala-Kokoua signed the Mambili Fishing Protocol, supporting fishing within the eco-development zone of the park’s largest river. A protocol for the cultural practice of women’s pond fishing was also established in 2023, formally supporting the rights of women to fish in the park’s core zone.

A longer-term project aims to secure permanent land rights for individuals, and so far, traditional land rights have been mapped for an initial 23 households.

Infrastructural developments across the park’s communities are managed through the Local Development Fund and Village Development Plans. Village Development Plans involve community votes on infrastructure needs, while the Local Development Fund supports these visions through tourism revenue which has financed nine community projects to improve access to water and education. Over 3,000 local people are treated every year through Mobile Clinics and in the Odzala-Kokoua infirmaries in Imbalanga and Kokoua.

Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) mitigation mechanisms have been trialled in Odzala for several years, with mixed success. For example, chilli fences and intervention teams as a crop-protection strategy required significant human effort, so a system of heavy barriers for long-term crop protection was adopted; this includes the Mbomo electric fence and a series of 20ha community agriculture plots surrounded by a two-metre-wide trench. While the number of HWC incidents remained the same as in previous years, those involving elephant have begun to decline with ongoing monitoring and data collection determining the efficacy of these interventions.