Omanghana
Communities along the Mbali River in the Central African Republic are facing mounting pressure on their livelihoods as deforestation linked to charcoal production contributes to declining fish stocks.
Around the southwestern town of Boali, fishermen report increasingly poor catches, while market traders struggle to secure enough fish to meet demand. The situation is affecting both household incomes and access to an important source of food.
Trees are being cut down to produce charcoal for cooking and heating, placing the surrounding environment under growing strain. Local fisherman Jean-Romeo Senguemboli has warned that continued forest destruction could worsen drying conditions and leave fishing communities with even fewer resources to sustain themselves.
The environmental consequences extend beyond the loss of trees. Forest cover helps protect soil from erosion, and its removal allows more sediment to wash into waterways. Along the Mbali River, increasingly muddy water is among the changes raising concerns about the health of the aquatic ecosystem.
Environmental experts also link deforestation to declining water levels and reduced dissolved oxygen. Together, these conditions can make it harder for fish to survive, grow and reproduce.
Yves Kaengonza, an environmental expert at the Central African Ministry of Water, Forests, Hunting and Fisheries, has highlighted the destruction of fish breeding grounds as another consequence of tree felling. Damage to these habitats threatens the ability of fish populations to replenish themselves.
For fishermen, the deterioration is reflected in nets that yield fewer and smaller fish. Reduced catches mean less produce to sell and greater uncertainty for families whose earnings depend on the river.
The shortage is also disrupting local trade. Vendors in Boali face difficulties keeping their stalls supplied, while commercial buyers arriving from Yaloké and the capital, Bangui, compete for the limited fish available.
That demand places additional pressure on local supplies, leaving residents struggling to obtain enough fish for their households. The problem therefore reaches beyond those directly employed in fishing, affecting the wider community’s access to food.
The situation illustrates the close relationship between forest conservation, healthy rivers and economic security. Continued damage to the landscape risks weakening an entire chain of livelihoods, from fishermen working on the river to traders serving local markets.
As part of the Congo Basin, the Central African Republic sits within one of the world’s most important tropical forest regions. The difficulties facing communities around Boali show how the effects of deforestation are already being felt in daily life, through shrinking catches, disrupted trade and growing uncertainty over food supplies.
Source: Omanghana
