If A Tree Falls - Deforestation In Africa

Right in the heart of Africa, spreading from the Democratic Republic of Congo towards its neighboring countries, you find the second biggest rain forest of the world. This forest together with other primeval forests on the African continent are of big importance for the biodiversity of the world and are also vital to the world’s climate.

At the same time, though, Africa is the second fastest loser of forests in the world. In some regions, forests have already completely vanished, like in many countries of West Africa. In other regions, international logging companies chop down the remaining wood in a rapid pace. Slash-and-burn-agriculture for subsistence economy as well as tree cutting for the production of charcoal leads to even more forests disappearing.

This radio drama is aimed to raise awareness about the important functions forests have in regulating the climate and in serving as a reservoir of water. Set within the dramatic backdrop of civil war, this story reveals how deforestation - the loss of trees and grasslands - has destroyed rural life and created conflicts between two farming communities. Now, thrown together as refugees in Dovani Camp, these people are beginning to find common solutions for the future. They also learn how to use the forests in an alternative and sustainable way.

Deutsche Welle’s Learning by Ear is available in six languages: English, Kiswahili, French, Hausa, Portuguese and Amharic.