CAP- Agroforestry

Overview

CAP aims at developing an integrated agroforestry and sustainable energy model to mitigate deforestation and address food insecurity and unsustainable charcoal production. By combining acacia and cassava agroforestry with high efficiency charcoal retort technology- a controlled, low-emission process for converting biomass into charcoal – and cassava flour processing, the project seeks to reduce pressure on natural forests, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthen rural livelihoods.

The project aims at establishing a first flagship site as a distributed industrial hub supplied by surrounding smallholder plantations. The model links sustainable agriculture with cleaner household energy production, creating a closed loop value chain for food and energy. With Canopy Trust support, the project will kickstart a first phase of mapping and site-scouting, in order to advance two investment-ready pilot projects for sustainable charcoal production and agroforestry in DRC by the end of 2026.

The Challenge

DRC faces one of the highest deforestation rates globally, losing approximately 0.5 million hectares of forest per year, driven largely by slash and burn agriculture and inefficient charcoal production. Cassava cultivation alone represents over 70 percent of national agricultural output and is predominantly produced through shifting cultivation, making it a major driver of forest loss.

At the same time, because of its widespread availability and affordability, charcoal remains the primary household energy source for the majority of the population. Traditional earth kiln production methods cause severe forest degradation, high greenhouse gas emissions, and significant exposure to smoke and particulate matter, which are associated with respiratory and cardiovascular health risks. Improved retort based charcoal production substantially reduces emissions and harmful pollutants, delivering both environmental and health benefits.

These challenges are compounded by widespread rural poverty, limited market access for smallholder farmers, and low productivity across both agricultural and energy value chains, particularly affecting women farmers.

In addition, at project-level, although major plantation establishment programs have recurrently being financed in the DRC, many historic plantations have disappeared because upstream planting efforts were not connected to economically viable downstream markets. Hence the need for an updated mapping and thorough site-level analysis.

Canopy Trust Involvement – Technical Assistance

Canopy has approved a Technical Assistance package including:

• A Woodflow and Downstream Mapping: Downstream mapping to compile and validate high-level plantation program data—including locations, planted areas, planting timelines, and assumed growth/yield profiles—from key stakeholders in priority projects, and translate this information into projected annual woodflows
• Ranked Pipeline and Project Priority Analysis, with Pilot readiness packages to accelerate implementation for two sites

  This early stage support is intended to unlock capital deployment, strengthen governance, and enable replication of the model at scale.

Our Target Impact

The project should deliver strong environmental and socio-economic benefits by addressing the root causes of deforestation while creating resilient rural value chains.