On Friday, 28 February 2025, ERAIFT organized a conference-debate on the theme: Evaluation of the ecosystem services value chain in the Luki Biosphere Reserve. This study is part of the RESSAC project. The conference was co-hosted by Mr Wamba Franck Robéan, a post-doctoral student at ERAIFT as part of the RESSAC project, and Lukoki Hyacinthe, an intern with the RESSAC-ERAIFT project, with a contribution from Professor Papy Nsevolo, a post-doctoral student and the project's focal point at ERAIFT. The 40 students in the 6th year of the Regional Master's programme, doctoral assistants, and post-doctoral students took an active part in this scientific morning.

The lecturer focused on the overall presentation of the RESSAC-ERAIFT project and its objectives, in particular: to identify the goods and services offered by the Luki Biosphere Reserve, assess the demand for ecosystem services, highlight the economic, social, and cultural values of ecosystem services, and propose recommendations for the sustainable management of the Luki Biosphere Reserve.

At the end of the discussions, the participants became aware of the many opportunities for scientific research offered by the Luki Biosphere Reserve. They also considered the importance of tackling the issue of evaluating ecosystem services to integrate them into overall conservation strategies within protected areas.

ERAIFT thanks the European Union, the RESSAC project, and CIFOR-ICRAF for their financial support and renewed confidence. It also thanks the postdoctoral students Wamba Franck Robéan and Papy Nsevolo and the intern Lukoki Hyacinthe for their scientific contributions.