The Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), part of the wider Albertine Rift, is facing increasing pressure from land grabs and large-scale extractive projects. Cross-border oil developments like Uganda’s Tilenga project and the planned East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) threaten local ecosystems and communities around Lake Albert, yet Congolese indigenous people have largely been excluded from these decision-making processes. In response, local environmental organizations are stepping up to defend community land rights and ensure that indigenous voices are heard. These environmental defenders work to protect both the environment and the rights of the people who depend on it, advocating for principles like Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) in all development projects that affect indigenous lands.

One key player in Ituri is the organization Environmental Defenders (ED), an environmental justice group operating in the Albertine Rift region spanning Uganda and DRC.Environmental Defenders’ mission is to protect biodiversity and indigenous peoples’ rights by working closely with local communities.Founded in 2017, the organization embraces an eco-feminist and collaborative approach, recognizing that social justice and environmental conservation go hand in hand.Our vision is to achieve both social and environmental justice in the region by defending indigenous cultural practices, livelihoods, and the rich wildlife habitats of Ituri and neighboring landscapes.In practice, this means empowering indigenous communities to stand up against harmful activities, ensuring their voices guide land use decisions, and safeguarding the Congo Basin ecosystems they call home.

A core strategy of Environmental Defenders is strengthening indigenous communities’ control over their ancestral lands. In Ituri, the organization works hand-in-hand with Indigenous peoples (such as the Mbuti and other local communities) to conduct participatory mapping of customary lands and forests. By documenting the boundaries of indigenous territories and sacred sites, communities gain formal recognition and protection against encroachment. Environmental Defenders also provides legal aid and advocacy to challenge illegal land sales and forced evictions, helping villagers defend their land rights in court when necessary. This support is crucial in a region where land grabbing for logging, mining, or agriculture is an ever-present threat. Through land surveying and legal assistance, local people are better equipped to claim their rights and engage in land-use planning that reflects their needs and conservation values. These efforts not only prevent unjust displacement but also foster sustainable land management led by the communities themselves.

Defending land and environmental rights in DRC can be dangerous work. Activists, community leaders, and journalists who speak out often face harassment, threats, or violence from powerful interests. Recognizing this reality, Environmental Defenders runs a program to protect and empower environmental human rights defenders on the frontlines. The organization offers both physical and digital security support, including training in security best practices, emergency relocation for those in imminent danger, psychosocial support, and even medical emergency grants.Since 2019, these initiatives have assisted over 1,000 human rights defenders—with a special focus on women activists and local journalists advocating for land and environmental justice. By providing risk assessments and safety planning, Environmental Defenders helps ensure that those fighting to save forests or resist land grabs can continue their vital work without having to sacrifice their lives or wellbeing. This security support network is a lifeline for grassroots defenders in Ituri, making the civic space a bit safer for voices of dissent.

Challenging Harmful Oil Projects and Demanding Consent

One of the most pressing issues in the region is the expansion of oil extraction around Lake Albert. Environmental Defenders has been at the forefront of challenging the EACOP pipeline and associated projects due to their likely impacts on communities and ecosystems in DRC. Even though the oil wells and pipeline are primarily in Uganda and Tanzania, the effects do not stop at the border. Congolese fishing communities around Lake Albert are already reporting oil pollution, and there are fears of spills and habitat damage extending into Virunga National Park and other sensitive areas.Moreover, local people across the border were not consulted or involved in these projects’ planning, violating their right to free and informed participation. Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) – the principle that indigenous and local communities must be consulted and approve any project affecting their lands – is a cornerstone of Environmental Defenders’ advocacy. The organization insists that no extraction should proceed without the genuine consent of all affected communities. Through community meetings and media outreach, they popularize the idea that people have a right to say “no” to projects that threaten their livelihoods. Environmental Defenders also supports legal actions and campaigns at the national and international level against EACOP, highlighting that the pipeline’s construction has already displaced over 100,000 people and was formally condemned by the European Parliament for human rights and environmental abuses. By monitoring human rights violations and providing protection to whistleblowers investigating land acquisition for EACOP, the group plays a critical role in holding powerful oil companies accountable. Their work exemplifies how local activists in Ituri are linked to a broader regional movement opposing unsustainable fossil fuel infrastructure in East Africa.

As part of its community empowerment efforts, Environmental Defenders operates Radio Terra FM, a nonprofit station based in Kolokoto village in Ituri. Since 2019, Radio Terra has been a lifeline of information in this media-scarce region, reaching people who rarely have access to newspapers or TV. Broadcasting on 95.0 FM and 97.0 FM, the station reaches over 5 million listeners across Ituri (DRC), northern Uganda, and even parts of South Sudan. Uniquely, Terra FM offers programming in more than five languages spoken in the region—including Swahili, Runyoro, Lugungu, Lingala, Alur, English, and French—to cater to the diverse communities of the Albertine Rift.

The content is sharply focused on raising awareness and empowering communities around land and environmental issues. For example, morning programs discuss topics like climate change, forest conservation, and peacebuilding alongside daily news. Presenters educate the public on how to prevent land conflicts and resist illegal land grabbing, often sharing tips on asserting land rights and avoiding fraudulent land sales.Regular segments remind listeners of their “rights—“Overcome oil and gas effects, know your land rights,” as one program urges.Critically, Radio Terra emphasizes the importance of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, making sure communities know they must be consulted before any project can take their land.Through call-in shows and debates, villagers evicted for conservation or oil projects have shared their stories, bringing otherwise marginalized voices into the public dialogue.

Radio Terra also gives a platform to local leaders, traditional chiefs, and grassroots earth defenders. The station actively identifies and hosts environmental and human rights defenders from the community—ordinary farmers, fisherfolk, women, or youth activists who are speaking out for the environment. By profiling these local “unsung heroes” (many of whom might not even label themselves defenders), the radio amplifies their message and inspires others to engage in advocacy. This community media approach has proven to be a strong bulwark against disinformation and apathy, uniting people across borders with knowledge and solidarity. In a region torn by conflict and often neglected by national media, Terra FM has become a trusted source of quality information and a catalyst for collective action.

Sustainable Livelihoods and the Terra Cooperative

Beyond advocacy and media, empowering communities also means providing sustainable economic alternatives. Environmental Defenders launched the Terra Agricultural Cooperative as a social enterprise arm to improve livelihoods while promoting environmental stewardship. The cooperative now supports a network of over 50,000 farmers in DRC with climate-resilient farming techniques, financial inclusion, and access to markets. Through training and microloans, farmers learn to improve crop yields without deforestation, adopt agroecology practices, and diversify their incomes. The Terra Cooperative strengthens community resilience to climate threats and reduces dependence on destructive industries. For instance, it helps farmers cultivate a variety of crops (coffee, cocoa, cassava, etc.) and even engage in tree planting for carbon credits. By increasing farmers’ incomes and raising their awareness, the cooperative tackles land-use challenges from a different perspective: well-resourced communities are more capable of resisting land grabbing and can develop long-term strategies for sustainable land use. In essence, this initiative turns local residents into stakeholders in conservation—proving that protecting the environment and improving livelihoods can go hand in hand.

The story unfolding in Ituri and the greater Albertine region highlights the critical role of environmental defenders in safeguarding both people and nature. As large projects like EACOP and Tilenga move forward, organizations such as Environmental Defenders ensure that the rights of indigenous communities and land defenders are not forgotten in the rush for development. Through participatory mapping and legal aid, they help communities secure land titles and have a say in land-use planning. Through security assistance, they keep embattled activists safe. By challenging harmful oil ventures and insisting on FPIC, they hold governments and corporations accountable to local people. And through innovative platforms like Radio Terra FM and the Terra Cooperative, they empower citizens with knowledge and economic tools to shape their own future. This holistic strategy—integrating advocacy, protection, awareness, and sustainable development—aligns with and amplifies the current news discourse regarding land rights in the region. It shows that amidst the challenges reported, there is also progress: grassroots defenders are actively building a more just and sustainable future for Ituri’s land and environment.