Abstract
In Tshopo, a forested province in the north-eastern part of the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo),
the regulation of water availability and quality is crucial for sustaining livelihoods and protecting
communities from natural hazards. These ecosystem services are crucial for reducing water vulnerability
and providing sufficient water for domestic use in places where the government’s capacity to manage
water resources is insufficient. However, the forests of Tshopo are threatened by climate change and
various anthropogenic activities. Its rural landscape is dominated by forests that are undergoing several
transformations, exposing water bodies to contamination. Hence, water is one of the key resources
vulnerable to climate change in the Tshopo Province. As few studies have focused on the understanding
of water availability at the sub-national level in the DRC, in this work, we aim to review the current
water situation and its relation to climate change and forest degradation in the Tshopo province. Our
analysis shows the necessity to develop well-defined strategic plans that consider contextual specificities
and to find a trade-off between forest and water management strategies to respond to water-vulnerability
risks in the region.
