The city of Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been marked for some years now by anarchic and ever-increasing urbanisation. This goes hand in hand with galloping demographic growth, which is increasing the pressure on urban green spaces. The resulting environmental impact is likely to increase in the years to come. Green spaces that were once considered a nuisance are now being given special attention, for the well-being of city dwellers. The aim of this study is to identify the benefits of the green spaces lining some of the public roads in the commune of Lemba. In order to carry out this study, a questionnaire was sent to users to gather their opinions on Lemba’s lined green spaces. This questionnaire was supplemented by direct observations in the field to assess the behaviour of the population with regard to these green spaces. The itinerant inventory method was used to identify the plant species present along five major public roads in the municipality under study. A total of 100 users of the green spaces were interviewed at random. The majority of these users were men (67%). Their main reasons for using the green spaces were to relax (33%), enjoy the shade (24%) and the peace and quiet (22%) at certain times of the day. According to these users, green spaces serve mainly to regulate the climate (19%) and beautify the city (17%). The lack of trees on certain roads to provide shade and the absence of public gardens to take advantage of their amenities led 93% of respondents to call for an increase in the number of trees in line and the creation of public gardens. Analysis of the floristic data shows that the tree stock in the Lemba commune’s green spaces includes 22 species divided into 21 genera and 16 botanical families. Nearly 73% of these species (16 species) are of exotic origin and nearly 55% of these plants (12 species) are reported to be edible. These results will enable the local political and administrative authorities to take these areas into account in the planning and development of the city, for the well-being of the population.

The study concerns the adverse effects of climate change on peri-urban agriculture in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The overall objective of this research is to contribute to a better understanding of the endogenous strategies put in place by market gardeners to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. To this end, a questionnaire survey was carried out on a sample of 100 randomly selected market gardeners in the Funa valley, on the outskirts of the Monastery of the Our Lady of the Assumption. This was complemented by field observations. Meteorological data covering a period of 30 years (1990-2020) made it possible to assess the evolution of precipitation and temperature. The results indicate that the respondents are informed about climate change and perceive its effects through the increase in temperature (93%) and rainfall (86%). Market gardeners reported that climate change induces water stress, stunting and low crop germination rate. The intensification of the use of fertilizers, the gradual abandonment of the empirical agricultural calendar, the supply of water for the fight against drought and the construction of dykes and drainage canals are the adaptation strategies developed by market gardeners in order to limit the harmful consequences of climate change on agricultural production.

This study aims to analyze the perception of residents of the Mitendi Quarter in the peri-urban commune of Mont-Ngafula in Kinshasa on the role of the tree planted in residential sites. The analysis is based on the concepts of urban and peri-urban forestry as well as on the questionnaire survey. The results show that most of the identified species are fruit trees. The tree planted in residential sites serves mainly to provide shade, fruits, contributes to the beautification of the landscape and pharmacopoeia. The majority of respondents (66%) affirm that the vegetation cover of the Mitendi Quarter has decreased over the past three decades following the cutting of trees. Once felled, part of these are either sold as energy wood to bakeries and restaurants in Kinshasa and another part is consumed by households after carbonization. The cutting of trees in residential plots is mainly done either to clear the space in order to erect buildings, or to prevent damage to humans or homes. The results of this study call out the urgent need to promote urban and peri-urban forestry in Kinshasa. This will have made it possible not only to contribute to improving the quality of life of its population but also to respond in any way to the adverse effects of global warming.