Exploring the Connection between Poultry Production and Reduced Wild Meat Consumption: USAID Conserving the Biodiversity of Northern Congo by Diversifying the Livelihoods of Bushmeat Value Chain Agents and Increasing Poultry Production
USAID launched the Conserving the Biodiversity of Northern Congo by Diversifying the Livelihoods of Bushmeat Value Chain Agents and Increasing Poultry Production activity in September 2020. Called “Soso Pona Moto Nyonso” in Linagala, or Chicken for Everyone, the activity addresses unsustainable levels of wild meat consumption in RoC by combining livelihood and biodiversity-focused interventions. This case study addresses the activity’s approach and early results, including successes and barriers to protecting wildlife by increasing alternative protein sources and developing a more diverse economy.
Communities around Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the north of the Republic of the Congo (RoC) rely heavily on wild meat for animal protein. The majority of communities’ protein intake comes from wild meat hunting (3,000 tons/year), followed by imported poultry (600 tons/year) and backyard chicken raising (400 tons/year). The current domestic supply of meat sources is failing to meet the high demand, opening up a “protein gap,” particularly in urban areas. Local consumers fill this gap with imported chicken and wild meat. Hunting for wild meat is threatening the survival of vulnerable wildlife in RoC’s forests--including at the edge of national parks--as well as food security and rural livelihoods.
