The government of Cameroon and the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), have reached an agreement whereby the latter would implement a five-year management and conservation project of the country’s mangrove ecosystems.
The Minister of the Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development, Pierre Hele and the FAO Acting Country Representative, Michel Balima yesterday April 19 signed the papers for the take off of the project entitled, “Sustainable Community-based Management and Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Hele said both human and natural forces around the Kribi-Campo area a threat to the livelihoods of the population and fish that depend on the mangrove for survival. He said the project that seeks to right the wrongs of these activities has five components: Reinforcing institutional capacities for an efficient management of the mangrove ecosystems, integration of mangrove conservation in local development, creation of protected zones in estuaries like Rio Del Rey, Wouri and Ntem, sustainable management of mangrove resources as well as a proper management and follow up of the project.
Michel Balima said the 6.4 million US dollar (about FCFA 3 billion) project was jointly drawn up by FAO and government and was endorsed by the Global Environment Facility in 2011 with FAO as the executing agency. “It has been noticed that in the coastal zone, the population cuts the mangrove. And given that it is the area of reproduction of fish, there is problem if the mangroves are not well protected and preserved because if you let it go, the fish will disappear,” Mr Balima noted.
The project, stakeholders said, seeks alternative solutions to mangrove cutting. “This will be for example, planting trees so that the population can cut them instead of the mangroves. We need to give them alternative solutions and FAO will work with government to seek these solutions,” the FAO representative said. The project is financed by the Global Environment Facility with co financing from the government of Cameroon, FAO and other development partners.
The project’s fact sheet indicates that it seeks to strengthen protection as well as reduce degradation by supporting inter-sectoral coordination and collaboration. It also aims at helping local communities to redirect their economic activities towards that which can improve their livelihoods while conserving biodiversity found in the area.
