Fishermen along the Mbali River in the Central African Republic say deforestation is shrinking their catches and threatening their livelihoods, Africanews reports.
Residents of Boali say trees are being cut down to make charcoal for cooking and heating. Local fisherman Jean-Romeo Senguemboli warned that without trees the land would dry out and the fish would disappear, adding that fish have become smaller as temperatures rise. Fishmonger Flore Ouagbele said buyers from Yaloké and Bangui were adding to demand, leaving local people struggling to find enough.
Yves Kaengonza, an environment expert at the country's forestry and fisheries ministry, said tree felling lowers water levels, makes rivers murkier, reduces oxygen and destroys breeding grounds. The problem reflects wider pressures on the Congo Basin, the world's second-largest tropical rainforest.
Source: Africanews
