MSc in Forest and Agroforestry Ecosystem Management

Deforestation and the degradation of forest ecosystems in the Congo Basin are issues of concern, given the major role played by these forests in combating climate change, conserving biodiversity and preserving water resources. The expansion of agricultural land is the main cause of deforestation in the Congo Basin. In view of the vision of the countries in the sub-region, which is to achieve emergence and combat poverty, there is a gradual need to increase agricultural production, requiring an increase in production land to the detriment of forest land. This increase in agricultural land implies the deforestation of vast areas, leading to forest degradation, large-scale destruction of wildlife habitat and climate change.

It is therefore necessary to promote production systems that increase productivity without compromising sustainability, particularly in terms of deforestation and biodiversity loss. Agroforestry systems, which integrate trees and other forms of life on the same land management unit, are seen as a land use option that can help resolve several threats to forests. In Cameroon, to diversify crops and production, farmers have adopted agroforestry systems by conserving or introducing useful woody species to their farms. These agroforestry systems offer a range of ecosystem services such as biodiversity and soil conservation, soil fertility maintenance and carbon sequestration.

Through the various food products they provide, they also help to ensure food security and improve farmers’ living conditions. It is necessary to measure the ecosystem services of agroforestry systems over long periods to understand temporal variations in these services.

The title of the MSc dissertation is “Evaluation of ecosystem services of agroforestry systems”. It will be on agroforestry systems and an aspect of the ecosystem services they provide, especially biodiversity conservation and carbon storage.

The project will complement a PhD project funded as part of CBSI on agroforesty monitoring.

This MSc project is part of the Congo Basin Science Initiative Vegetation, Soil and Biogeochemistry Observatory, and will be begin long-term monitoring of agroforesty systems in the Congo Basin, and is part of the CBSI Science and Capacity Plan.