Enhancing resilience of communities of the Ekinde Community Forest on conservation agriculture and Green entrepreneurship
In order to protect the environment and help the local population, though, certain old practices will have to be discarded. FAAFNET points out that multiple human activities have brought an assault on Mount Cameroon from all angles. Hunting and the encroachment of local communities in the Community Forest area have placed biodiversity at great risk and extinction. The creeping urbanization has also meant that water resources are threatened, spinning the deleterious effects back on the population.
Rather counter-intuitively, the greatest threat to Mount Etinde is farming and agricultural activities. Considering that agriculture is often a key component of economic growth for Africans, halting its progress might raise eyebrows in some development circles. Yet, the detrimental effects to the environment, and subsequently to human inhabitants, have been clear. For example, residents regularly use trees and brush as firewood and torches to sear for honey, prepare their farms, and even aid in their search for game. Although useful, the continual burning (wild fires) of the landscape is damaging the long-term health of the forest.
The soil of the land has proved to be an equally dangerous double-edged sword. It is so rich that farmers find the land very suitable for their livelihoods. However, over-farming has begun to take a mighty toll on the viability of the land.
It is through this assurance that Forestry, Agriculture, Animal and Fishery Network (FAAFNET), the Mount Cameroon National Park and other partners are coming up with programmes that will serve as strengthening sustainable and biodiversity-friendly food production systems with special focus on agro-ecology and agroforestry techniques. We shall also promote socio-ecological resilience and fostering food security.
The socio-political crisis it in the North West and South West Region that started in 2016, coupled with the Corona Virus Pandemic (COVID-19) has severely impacted income-generation activities of the population in the Etinde Community Forest, whose ecotourism activities have been hampered seriously through the lack of visitors. The area being a predominantly farming population, have experienced post-harvest losses due to lack of access to markets due to frequent lockdowns which makes it difficult for clients to travel to buy agricultural products of farmers. While, in some areas, there is acquit shortage of food supply due to closed borders and restricted mobility. The lack of farmer?s network in both the rural and urban areas has further hampered the situation of food security and socio-economic potential of communities around Etinde Community Forest. Creating opportunities of alternative income generating activities, agriculture value chain (adding value to agricultural products) and creating farmers? networks as a channel for marketing of their products would be an option during the project.
Rather counter-intuitively, the greatest threat to Mount Etinde is farming and agricultural activities. Considering that agriculture is often a key component of economic growth for Africans, halting its progress might raise eyebrows in some development circles. Yet, the detrimental effects to the environment, and subsequently to human inhabitants, have been clear. For example, residents regularly use trees and brush as firewood and torches to sear for honey, prepare their farms, and even aid in their search for game. Although useful, the continual burning (wild fires) of the landscape is damaging the long-term health of the forest.
The soil of the land has proved to be an equally dangerous double-edged sword. It is so rich that farmers find the land very suitable for their livelihoods. However, over-farming has begun to take a mighty toll on the viability of the land.
It is through this assurance that Forestry, Agriculture, Animal and Fishery Network (FAAFNET), the Mount Cameroon National Park and other partners are coming up with programmes that will serve as strengthening sustainable and biodiversity-friendly food production systems with special focus on agro-ecology and agroforestry techniques. We shall also promote socio-ecological resilience and fostering food security.
The socio-political crisis it in the North West and South West Region that started in 2016, coupled with the Corona Virus Pandemic (COVID-19) has severely impacted income-generation activities of the population in the Etinde Community Forest, whose ecotourism activities have been hampered seriously through the lack of visitors. The area being a predominantly farming population, have experienced post-harvest losses due to lack of access to markets due to frequent lockdowns which makes it difficult for clients to travel to buy agricultural products of farmers. While, in some areas, there is acquit shortage of food supply due to closed borders and restricted mobility. The lack of farmer?s network in both the rural and urban areas has further hampered the situation of food security and socio-economic potential of communities around Etinde Community Forest. Creating opportunities of alternative income generating activities, agriculture value chain (adding value to agricultural products) and creating farmers? networks as a channel for marketing of their products would be an option during the project.
Project Snapshot
Grantee:
Forestry, Agriculture, Animal and Fishery Network
Country:
Cameroon
Area Of Work:
Biodiversity
Land Degradation
Land Degradation
Grant Amount:
US$ 26,368.00
Co-Financing Cash:
Co-Financing in-Kind:
US$ 19,528.66
Project Number:
CMR/SGP/OP7/Y1/ICCA-GSI-COVID/2021/04
Status:
Satisfactorily Completed
Project Characteristics and Results
Capacity - Building Component
? Training on Agroforestry for effective soil conservation, nursery management and integrated organic farms for higher value products
? Training of Trainers on agricultural value chain development (processing of agricultural products)
? Training of trainers on Modern Beekeeping Seed Multiplication: Plantains, Yams and Cassava
? Training of Trainers on Green Entrepreneurship and Forest Entrepreneurship
? Seminar on ?The Effects of COVID-19 to Biodiversity Conservation and Food Security?
? Training of women and youths on production of soap and face basks to fight against Covid-19
Policy Impact
During the project implementation, the team will ensure that the communities participate fully, especially in the training sessions so that those involved in poaching and other illegal activities in the Community Forest should abstain from these activities.
The result will be that poachers are now engaged in alternative livelihood activities and green entrepreneurship.
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Indicators
Empowerment
Number of women participated / involved in SGP project
50
Livehood
Number of individuals (gender diaggregated) who have benefited* from SGP project
100
SGP Country office contact
Mr. FOGUE AIME KAMGA
Phone:
(237) 22 20 08 00/22 20 08 01
Email:
Address
N° 1232 Immeuble Mellopolis, Rue 1794, Ekoudou, Bastos
Yaounde, Centre, 836
Yaounde, Centre, 836
Visit the Cameroon Country Page