UC Davis Humphrey Fellowship alumnus Fabrice Inkonkoy (Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2019-20) was recently honored with a Humphrey Fellowship Program Alumni Impact Award. He is being recognized for his work in developing anti-poaching protocols in the Luki Biosphere Reserve, the home of the last population of Central African Chimpanzees, in addition to other native animals. Inkonkoy’s project aims to have a lasting impact on an ecosystem threatened by poaching, deforestation and illegal logging pressures in his home country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

The Luki Biosphere Reserve was created in 1937. Today, 85 years later, after several years of poaching and illegal wildlife trade, this critical ecosystem is under threat. The chimpanzees, western lowland gorillas, African forest elephants and Mayombe vegetation are at risk.

Inkonkoy’s NGO, the Sustainable Congo Biodiversity Initiative (SCBI), will support the Luki Biosphere Reserve as it implements anti-poaching tactics. Working with SCBI, the Luki Biosphere Reserve will use a Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART).

“SMART is a combination of software and training materials that provides protected area authorities and the community with the ability to empower staff, boost motivation, increase efficiency and promote credible and transparent monitoring of the effectiveness of anti-poaching efforts,” said Inkonkoy of the project.

In addition to monitoring, the project also encompasses the core element of community awareness. Inkonkoy and SCBI intend to raise awareness about the benefits of the reserve, educate the public and prepare them to address poaching and illegal logging.

Since 1986, UC Davis has hosted 33 cohorts of Humphrey fellows, each pursuing opportunities to connect with our campus and community as they contribute to a greater understanding of agricultural, conservation and environmental issues affecting our world, and assist professionals with the knowledge and best practices to apply in their field. UC Davis ranks first in the U.S. for sustainability according to the GreenMetric World University Rankings and ranks among the top 15 universities globally in environmental sciences.

About Global Affairs at UC Davis

Global Affairs brings the world to UC Davis, welcoming more than 10,000 international students, scholars and leaders, and hosting programs that inspire global curiosity, understanding and engagement. Compelled by the valuable outcomes of thinking globally, we make transformative opportunities a reality by supporting the thousands of students and faculty learning and researching globally—and by facilitating collaborations that tackle the world’s most pressing challenges through more than 150 global partnerships.

Putting our vision of a UC Davis community that engages, thrives, and leads in this interconnected world into action, Global Affairs is in pursuit of an ambitious goal: Global Education for All.

About the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program

An initiative of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program was founded in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter to honor the late senator and vice president, Hubert H. Humphrey, an advocate of international connections and understanding.