Bio-diversity

Montane forests are disappearing from the Bamenda Highlands because of extensive subsistence agriculture and low harvests, weak community tenure rights that lead to unsustainable resource use. There is also the introduction of economic species that are considered to be invasive in the forest to replace native species. The Mbiame Communal forest is an example of a forest where this is clearly manifested. The management of this forest is assured by elected community members who constitute the Forest Management Committee (FMC). Their activities are voluntary. The forest covers a surface area of 1050ha, 750 of which is under degradation. In 2008 IUCN NL and CENDEP started a pilot project to restore and protect the areas under degradation while simultaneously increasing the incomes of the local people through the application of analog forestry. Through this approach, a permanent forest would be restored on the forest land under degradation. This would contribute in expanding and protecting the intact forest (about 350ha). This would equally enhance the capacity of the forest to provide services of traditional forests such as biodiversity, carbon and water. We faced a number of challenges achieving the conservation of the forest. This included bush fires and conflicts in the sustainable use of the forest by the local people. We now intend to promote establishment of individual analog forests to serve as biological corridors linking the main forest, mitigate conflicts over communal lands earmarked for conservation, safeguard the work already done and continue to improve the economic situation of the beneficiaries by promoting income generating activities like bee farming and crop diversification. Over 95% of the population depends on agriculture as a source of livelihood. Farming contributes close to 70% of household income. However, there is scarcity of arable land resulting in fragmentation of farm plots and seasonal migration to other villages in search of agro-business employment opportunities and fertile and additional agricultural land. Main problems faced by farmers include among others disease and pests, high costs of fertilizers, declining soil fertility, low cost of farm produce and limited knowledge on improved farming techniques. Analog forestry technology can be used to conserve, restore, enhance and manage the carbon stocks in forest and non-forest lands. It is a cross-cutting approach and very relevant in achieving 3 of the 4 thematic focal areas for the Country Programme Strategy of Cameroon notably biodiversity, climate change and land degradation and desertification. GEF-5 proposes amongst others to undertake good management practices with local communities. The project g

Cameroon