Indigenous knowledge remains at the heart of ecological practices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through the work of the Congo Basin Conservation Society (CBCS-Network). It plays a crucial role in advancing agroecology by promoting the use of indigenous technologies rooted in local culture and traditional ecological wisdom. We promote this indigenous knowledge to foster more sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices based on the culture and traditions of Indigenous Pygmy peoples.

Indigenous knowledge remains at the heart of ecological practices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through the work of the Congo Basin Conservation Society (CBCS-Network). It plays a crucial role in advancing agroecology by promoting the use of indigenous technologies rooted in local culture and traditional ecological wisdom.
We promote this indigenous knowledge to foster more sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices based on the culture and traditions of Indigenous Pygmy peoples. These approaches strengthen community resilience while preserving biodiversity and natural ecosystems.
In the Mwenga territory of South Kivu, particularly among communities living around the Itombwe Nature Reserve, traditional methods are used to protect rice fields from bird damage without harming wildlife.
These indigenous technologies include:
Traditional scarecrows made from locally available materials
Protective ecological nets
“Bird chasers” or handmade sound-emitting devices that scare birds away without injuring them
The planting of repellent plants around fields to naturally deter birds
Such practices reduce reliance on harmful chemicals, protect bird species, and contribute to biodiversity conservation while ensuring food security.

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