​Land use is a crucial factor in both economic development and the environment. Land dedicated to agriculture allows regular production which benefits nearby populations, meeting their food needs, and potentially benefits the economy as a whole. On the other hand, agricultural land has a much lower carbon content than forest land and is generally poorer in biodiversity.

Models make it possible to explore the consequences of future changes in a simplified context. In the collaborative REDD-PAC project (www.redd-pac.org),  IIASA, COMIFAC (Central Africa Forest Commission) and UNEP-WCMC have adapted the GLOBIOM model to help identify the areas under the greatest conversion pressures in the future and the consequences in terms of agricultural production, greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss.

The GLOBIOM model represents land use competition between the agricultural sector, the forestry sector and the bioenergy sector and has been adapted to the COMIFAC countries, Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The simulation period is 2000–2030 and the first 2000–2010 period enables testing of the model’s capacity to reproduce past trends. The future projections are used to assess potential impacts in terms of emissions, agricultural production and biodiversity. In doing so this study is intended to assist institutions involved in REDD+ and the planning of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action plans in COMIFAC countries.