The project is to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of natural resources in the Amokwaw community resource management area (CREMA) to create wealth and ensure socio economic advancement of the people of Amokwaw. The main project activities include:

1. Building capacity of nine groups of local farmers within the Amokwaw CREMA to integrate the management of wildlife, timber and non-timber resources onto farms. Under this activity the project will organize farmers to integrate the management of wildlife, timber and non-timber resources into their farmsteads in nine groups to correspond to each CREMA community. These groups would be trained in the Agroforestry, creation and maintenance of natural forest areas within farmlands to serve as habitats for wildlife, and establishment and maintenance of non-timber forest products like Aframomum melegueta (efom wisa); Piper guineense (esoro wisa); Raphia hookeri (adoka); Allanblackia floribunda (sonkyi); Garcinia afzelii (nsoko) and Garcinia kola (tweapia). Farmers will be trained in tree identification on farms, tree crop farm management, and on-farm wildlife management. Selected local farmers would be trained as trainers to serve as a pool of experts within the communities to whom other community members can fall on in times of need. These trainers will be sent on study tours to learn best practices in other place of the country and in La Cote D?voire.

2. Construction and operation of Resource Management Learning Centre equipped with a meeting place, store, learning materials and equipment, technology demonstration sites, and rural information dissemination equipment constructed and maintained. This activity will assist community to build a community resource management learning centre equipped with a meeting place for the CREMA executives, business groups, school children,; storage facilities to keep CREMA tools and equipment, maps and other materials. The learning centre will teach farmers on simple technologies to reduce post harvest losses, facilitate the treatment and preservation and enhancement of value to crops, animal products and other non-timber forest products. The learning centre will be linked to demonstration sites for new technologies in agriculture, energy, small-scale industries etc. The centre will also be equipped with solar lighting systems for evening adult education learning. Solar radio and communication equipment will be provided to serve as information points for the farmers.

3. Establishment of 100 ha of natural forest, timber and non-timber plantation. Under this activity farmers would be trained to set aside part of their holdings for enrichment planting and the establishment of timber tree plantation. Indigenous species to be planted will be preference of the farmers after careful animation. Farmers will be encouraged to set aside buffer zones in between their farm boundaries and especially around water bodies to serve as natural habitats for wild animals. The CREMA will be assisted to cultivate and jointly own a 40 ha cane and rattan plantation


4 Nine community groups within the CREMA organized trained and supported in Alternative livelihood activities. The project will liaise with the Wildlife Division to educate and create awareness among local farmers, including the women and the school drop outs on alternative livelihood activities like grass cutter rearing, snail farming, bee-keeping, fish farming, soap making, tie and die batik making. Thereafter, individual farmers will be guided to register a trade of their preference. Depending on the interest and preference, Group members would be introduced to selected alternative livelihood. In addition all beneficiaries would be trained in numerology, simple bookkeeping, marketing, business management and savings through the banking system. Successful trainees would be equipped to start business. The project will operate a revolving fund that will be used a seed capital for the individual entrepreneurs to do business. Guideline for the running of the fund will be formulated and agreed upon prior to the implementation of the project. The project will assist the CREMA as a corporate body to own and operate a fish farm with the assistance of the Fisheries Department and National Board for Small Scale Industries in Half-Assini.