VLIR PP CUI, phases I, II & III Projet 2

The VLIR-UOS Institutional University Cooperation (IUC) programme with the University of Kisangani (UNIKIS) has two general objectives (1) the creation of a centre of excellence in sustainable agriculture and biodiversity and (2) institutional strengthening of UNIKIS.

This IUC programme aims to provide scientific solutions to a few key issues, such as: improving soil fertility, producing organic materials, protecting forest ecosystems, domesticating wild plant and animal species to eliminate the nutritional deficit of the population and developing cultural practices to protect the environment.

The IUC programme consists of three projects:

• Project 1: Contribution of Sustainable Agriculture to food security in the North-East Basin of the DRC
• Project 2: Contribution of Biodiversity to Training and Food Security in the North-East Congo Basin
• Project 3: Institutional Capacity Building of UNIKIS

The Biodiversity project is essentially aimed at improving biodiversity knowledge in the Democratic Republic of Congo by facilitating access to available biodiversity data. Therefore, the project develops:

• a database of previous floristic and faunistic inventories, continually enriched by new specimens which are added to the list at any time;
• functional and well-equipped laboratories and conservatories (collections) as well as optimized breeding and cultivation systems;
• field applications of farming techniques and cultures based on the skills acquired during previous project years.

Results and achievements concerning the sustainable exploitation of natural resources are being published and continually disseminated. By making all the obtained information available, it is possible to master the current state of biodiversity in Kisangani and its surroundings which will allow users and managers to use sustainable methods of exploitation, because the future of the entire population depends on it.

Funding

VLIR UOS