Projects

Central Africa Bushmeat Research Into Policy (CA-BRIP) network

Overview

Unsustainable hunting for wild meat (also known as bushmeat) is a key threat to biodiversity and food security in Central Africa. While evidence bases and decision-support tools exist that can be used to develop effective policies and practices for sustainable wildlife management, regional awareness of and capacity to use these resources is often lacking, with limited cross-country sharing of experiences.

The governments of Cameroon, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have all recognised the need for updated policies and strategies for managing bushmeat hunting, use and trade. There is, therefore, both the need and the opportunity for well-trained, well-networked national researchers and practitioners to conduct policy-focused research and outreach regarding sustainable wildlife management, co-develop new sustainable bushmeat interventions, and input to national policy processes over the coming years.

The Central Africa Bushmeat Research Into Policy (CA-BRIP) network is a community of practice that brings together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to feed the latest scientific research into the development of policies and interventions for the equitable, safe and sustainable management of bushmeat resources. Through interactions with international colleagues and initiatives, here at the University of Oxford and elsewhere, we plan to build the capacity of a new generation of Central African bushmeat researchers and practitioners who will continue to lead this research-into-policy network over the long term.

Objectives

1. Create the Central Africa Bushmeat Research Into Policy (CA-BRIP) network building on previous partnerships established as part of the UKRI GCRF TRADE Hub and the SWM Programme.
2. Share research findings, expertise and experience across the regional network, with national hubs created in Cameroon, Gabon and DRC.
3. Train bushmeat researchers and practitioners in the use of key evidence bases, tools and resources.
4. Mentor three bushmeat-focused Biodiversity Fellows within the Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science at the University of Oxford over a period of one year.
5. Input to national bushmeat strategies and support the governments of Cameroon, Gabon and DRC to update NBSAPs and report towards the CBD GBF Targets 5 and 9.

Collaborators

Landscape Alliance (formerly CIFOR-ICRAF), IRAD in Cameroon, IRET in Gabon, and ERAIFT in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.