Rural livelihoods at risk in Congo Basin due to erratic rainfall and water flow Availability of edible caterpillars drops more than 85 percent Shares A doctoral student measures the circumference of a Funtunia Africana in the forest reserve near the village of Masako. Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo. CIFOR/Ollivier Girard Related stories
Over the past 20 years, people living in the forests of Congo Basin have noticed some significant changes in their natural surroundings, according to scientists. Not only is the area becoming hotter, but there is greater variability in the length and intensity of the rainy season, they report.
Less precipitation leads to dryer conditions, reducing water flow and creating challenging and unpredictable circumstances for rural communities whose livelihoods depend on local forests and waterways.