Laboratoire de Botanique systématique & d'écologie végétale, Faculté des Sciences, Département de Biologie, BP. 190 Kinshasa XI (Université de Kinshasa), RD Congo
Through this article, the authors expose the causes that prevent the marketing of food and manufactured products in the rural world of Kimvula and suggest some possible solutions.
This study aims to identify the problems of marketing in this environment where commercial space is undisputed.
The results show that the rural territory of Kimvula, in the province of Kongo Central, is experiencing serious marketing problems. This situation is not conductive to its development.
To better understand this problem of marketing, the authors explain the organization of markets and also show that the territory of Kimvula is not a disputed commercial space based on field data. This situation in linked to the lack of markets, the poor state of roads and bridges, the lack of traders and vehicles.
Our investigation showed that there are no permanent and well- organized markets in the territory of Kimvula where farmers can obtain food supplies other than agricutural ones (horse mackerel, salted fish, milk) from traders.
In Kinseki and Ntampa, the traditional oven (earth millstone) is the only technique used which is used in the process of the anti-ecological production of charcoal « makala ». Its qualitative and quantitative yield depends on the good handling of experienced and conscientious charcoal burners. Nevertheless, it leads to the destruction of biotopes, reduces forest or savannah biological diversity, degrades the soil, modifies the proper functioning of the biogeochemical and climatic cycles of the surrounding environment. Indeed, the majority of the peasant community remains in ecological ignorance which does not allow it to fight against the regressive series which characterizes the forest or the savannah, therefore the major concern of the charcoal burners is to have a large quantity of plant species in as little time as possible, without making a physical environmental accounting of the phytomass. This way of behaving transforms the primitive woody landscape into an anthropogenic grassy landscape and particularly accelerates deforestation. How to model with UML, the anti-ecological production system of charcoal, in order to fight against deforestation? What are the plant species most exploited by charcoal burners for the production of charcoal? With regard to these two questions, it is considered that the design of activity diagrams based on environmental and computer knowledge seems to be adequate to fight against deforestation; the most exploited species are those found in the savannas.
The results obtained in the field show that the anti-ecological production of charcoal is practiced either in the forest (opinion of 88% of the subjects surveyed), or in the savannah (opinion of 12% of the subjects surveyed); no coal maker applies ecological principles (opinion of 100% of subjects surveyed); 91% of surveyed households are composed of more than 5 people against 9% who have only less than 5 people; 91% of the subjects surveyed have a low monthly income (i.e. less than $199); 100% of the subjects surveyed do not replace cut trees in the forest or savannah with others.
This study on the rural environment has been carried out in the province of Kongo Central, precisely in the territory of Kimvula (South eastern part of Kongo Central province).
Its overall objective is to identify the elements that make wi Kimvula a landlocked territory, to highlight the consequences of this crisis situation.
Therefore, faced with this reality, socio-economic perspectives have been proposed to ensure its integral development.
Observation and systemic methods using Arc-View and Arc-Gis Software were used for data processing and the development of geographical maps.
The results show that the rural territory of Kimvula is experiencing serious communication problems with the major centers: Mbanza-Ngungu, Inkisi and Kinshasa.
This situation is unfavorable to its development and its ecological, economic and social development.
Added to this is the poor state of roads and bridges. As a result, young farmers leave rural areas for Kinshasa, Inkisi, Mbanza-Ngungu or Matadibecause of the geographical isolation.
All those difficulties have led to the isolation of this territory compared to the other territories of the former Lukaya district.
The present study was carried out in the territory of Kimvula in the south-west of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The floristic survey conducted shows that the Kimvula flora has 1,065 species distributed in 666 genera and 159 families. The best represented families are Fabaceae (12.21%), Poaceae (7.79%), Asteraceae (5.54%), Rubiaceae (5.07%), Apocynaceae (4.04%) and Malvaceae (4.04%). The analysis shows the ecological characteristics, as regards the morphological types, this flora is dominated by woody species (50%) while the dominant life forms are phanerophytes (50%). Examination of leaf dimensions indicates the abundance of mesophyll (37.4%) and sarcochores (36.9%) are the types of diaspores best represented in Kimvula. The results of phytogeography distribution reveal the abundance of wide distribution species (65.5%) and low presence of endemic species (1.6%). The disturbance index (29.30%) shows that ecosystems of the study area are less disturbed and Shannon-Weaver diversity index shows that secondary forest (4.8 bits) is the most diversified plant formation.
A study was conducted in three localities in the southwest of RD Congo to clarify the ecology of Dracaena acutissima Hua: an endemic Asparagaceae of Congo Basin. Ecosystem characteristics (vegetation types, soil types and microclimates strata), phenological, chorological and ethnobotanical were determined. The results show that D. acutissima is a semi-sun-loving species that typically grows in the sandy soil of the undergrowth Kalahari type of riparian forest or forest or sloping plateau. It was seen with flowers and fruits during the dry season between May and July. The ethnobotanical survey showed that young leaves of this plant are used to treat childhood ear infections and stems are used for making small animal traps while its fruits are eaten by warthogs. Although, the species has not yet been confronted with the IUCN criteria; its distribution and human pressure area experienced by ecosystems that are its habitat to push the authors to classify it as a vulnerable species.