Wula 2 and Abo Obisu Communities are in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State of Nigeria. Farming, forest gathering and hunting are the occupation of these communities with a total estimated population of 4,400 people. 2,400 people for Wula 2 communities and 2,000 people for Abo Obisu Communities. Both are MBE Mountains. The Mbe Mountain covers an area of approximately 85km2 forming an important habitat corridor linking Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary to the west with the Okwango Division of Cross River National Park and Cameroon to the east. The Mbe Mountain is host to several endangered species including the critically endangered Cross River gorilla, the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee, the drill, leopard and forest elephant and the Mountains is traditionally owned by the nine communities. The project is necessary to reduce deforestation, improve conservation of this Mountain as well as improve livelihoods of target communities.
They arefaced with low knowledge on conservation, sustainable forest management and climate change which has contributed to logging, deforestation, overhunting of wildlife, destruction of watersheds, fragmentation and destruction of forest in Wula 2 and Abo Obisu Communities. The negative impacts are loss of biodiversity, food insecurity, poverty and poor community development. The aim of this project is on conservation of biodiversity, reduce deforestation and forest degradation, andreduce the human induced process and impact of climatechangeandpoverty. The project's goal is: Promote the protection of the forests and its sustainable use and reduce poverty. The main activities of this project are: (a) Organize the communities for inclusive forest governance (b) Awareness education on forest conservation. (c) Capacity building on sustainable forest management; (d) Training and provisionsof cassava and oil palm processing mills. (The farmers sell harvested cassava raw to middlemen at ridiculous price of N2, 000 who process and sell finished product at N10, 000 and reap off. The cassava and oil palm processing machines will enable the community to produce garriand improve incomes to the farmers. (e) Training and construction of 300 energy saving wood cook stove. The indicators of outputs are: 350 persons have improved knowledge on forest governance and gender participation increased; established forest governance system and documented management plan; awareness of 500 persons increased and behavioral change on the value of the forest improved; 300 women/youth are engaged in practical sustainable forest management;250 farmers and hunters' livelihoods improved; and reduced felling of trees and consumption of firewood