Voix du Paysan – Committed to informing and empowering citizens for social and climate justice.
As part of its mission of popular education, www.dec-rdc.org visited all the groupements of the island territory of Idjwi to hear directly from those at the heart of two major threats: the rapid disappearance of forests and the planned exploitation of gas blocks on Lake Kivu. Though different in nature, these issues share a common consequence: they jeopardize the region’s environmental balance and the livelihoods of local communities.
Livestock breeders, farmers, and fishers unanimously denounce the impacts of deforestation—soil degradation, loss of biodiversity, reduced access to clean water, and increasingly unstable weather patterns. The large-scale exploitation of wood, often for commercial purposes, is carried out without reforestation plans or sustainable management frameworks. Our land no longer yields as it used to, and our water sources are drying up, several farmers warned.
At the same time, the islanders are deeply concerned about gas exploration and exploitation projects on Lake Kivu. These initiatives are seen as a direct threat to the fragile lake ecosystem, to the safety of fishers, and to local peace. Communities are demanding transparent environmental impact assessments, accessible information, and, above all, a seat at the decision-making table. Many fear these projects will be imposed on them without consent, for the benefit of external interests.
In response, scientists, researchers, and community leaders are calling for an immediate moratorium on all forms of exploitation that threaten Idjwi’s ecological balance. They stress the importance of strengthening popular education, training local environmental defenders, and building sustainable alternatives. Knowledge, solidarity, and the resilience of local and lakeside communities remain the strongest tools to face these converging threats.
The Editorial Team
Idjwi Faces a dual threat: intensive deforestation and Gas Projects endanger the survival of Island communities
