Experts Pushed Agroecology to Protect Congo Basin Forests

A 2026 regional declaration advocates for shifting agricultural funding toward sustainable practices.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Organic Food

Isometric editorial illustration depicting a lush rainforest canopy integrated with sustainable agricultural crop rows in muted teal and mustard tones. — Government representatives from the Congo Basin signed the Yaounde Declaration in August 2026, committing to agroecology to preserve vital carbon-storing forests. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should neighbouring countries be required to align their environmental and agricultural policies?

At the Second Congo Basin Convening on Agroecology held in August 2026, government representatives signed the Yaounde Declaration to promote sustainable food systems. The declaration aims to prioritize agroecology to counter the environmental degradation impacting the region's massive carbon-storing forests.

Why it matters

The Congo Basin forests act as a vital global carbon sink, storing over 90.9 billion tonnes of carbon, yet they face severe pressure from industrial agriculture and infrastructure development. Policy alignment is necessary to protect these ecosystems as forest loss nearly doubled between 2010 and 2020.

The Yaounde Declaration 2026 establishes a framework to dedicate 30 percent of agricultural sector budgets to agroecology across the Congo Basin. This follows recent data showing forest loss in the region nearly doubled between 2010 and 2020 compared to the previous decade.

The players

Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme

A policy framework that coordinates agricultural development initiatives across the African continent.

The details

The declaration urges member states to integrate agroecological principles into the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme. By focusing on sustainable practices rather than industrial agriculture, the initiative seeks to align trade and land policies that currently threaten forest health. Regional communities are also encouraged to establish standing channels to manage trans-boundary deforestation drivers.

2010-2020: Forest loss in the Congo Basin nearly doubled compared to the previous decade.
December 17, 2025: Cameroon enacted Law No. 2025/013 to promote sustainable agriculture.
August 2026: The Second Congo Basin Convening on Agroecology took place in Yaounde, Cameroon.
September 29, 2026: This information was documented.

Health Landscape

The Yaounde Declaration addresses a gap in the Kampala Declaration, which failed to explicitly recognize agroecology as a strategy for sustainable food production. This agreement marks a departure from previous regional frameworks by explicitly embedding agroecology into the agricultural development agenda.

While this policy shift focuses on regional agricultural management, the broader move toward agroecology emphasizes the importance of preserving biodiversity and sustainable land use. These factors are increasingly tied to food security, and interested readers should follow how national policies evolve to include protections for indigenous seeds and local food platforms.

The takeaway

The Yaounde Declaration signals a growing commitment to protecting the Congo Basin by shifting agricultural funding toward sustainable, nature-based practices. Readers can support this direction by staying informed on the development of regional indigenous seed protection laws and sustainable farming initiatives.