Category: E-Newsletter

Categories
E-Newsletter Media Centre

Ecological Balance Cameroon, Making Strides in Rewilding Etinde Community Forest

Ecological Balance Cameroon has since 2019 been engaged in rewilding community forests in Cameroon, with a firm belief in the prospects of community forestry in saving Cameroon’s portion of the Congo Basin Rainforest. With a specific focus on rewilding the Etinde Community forest in South West Cameroon from 2021-2024, the Organization has so far planted over 5000trees in patches of the forest hitherto depleted for farming activities.

After witnessing over 2/3 of rivers and streams in their community dried up, the local people came to the realization that trading watershed (forests) for farms would have a disastrous effect in the long run and invited Ecological Balance Cameroon to help them ‘’patch up’’ their watershed.

Mola Ndive, member of the Etome Reforestation Task Force explained that “reforestation is a parental duty, because how can the next generation survive without water”.

 Mr Ekwalla Samuel, a member of the Etinde Community Forest Management Council, noted that the continuous loss of forests to agricultural activities, fuel wood, and timber harvesting can only be curbed through community forestry. “With community forestry, each village is responsible for their portion of the forest, and we make sure they remain as natural as possible,’’ he added.

The Etinde Community Forest is part of a chain of protected areas within the Mt. Cameroon forest landscape. It is host to forest elephants, chimpanzees, drills, mandrills, Cameroon Preussi monkeys, Cameroon red-eared monkeys, Mt. Cameroon francoline and other amazing wildlife. This biodiversity hotspot has 175 globally threatened trees, 25 of which are critically endangered and 28 endangered. It rates second in Africa and 16th globally for threatened trees and within Cameroon, 15 of the country’s endemic trees are recorded from here. Community engagement galvanizes rewilding, ensuring long-term conservation of wildlife/habitats. It can also create employment and build a near-real-time system to monitor deforestation, especially illegal logging.

Community forestry is forest management in which forest adjacent communities manage and use forests, often with some form of legal authority to do so. It is primarily driven by local community benefits and ecological sustainability goals. In Cameroon, the concept was first brought in as part of the country’s new forest policy of 1992, whose two main objectives were to protect the environment & preserve natural resources and to involve the local peoples in the conservation and management of forest resources.

 This was based on the assumption that communities fully master their forests and can better manage them with the proceeds ploughed back for the development of the community with an aim to improve their living standards. In order to put these ambitious plans into effect, Law No. 94/01 of 20 January 1994 to lay down forestry, wildlife and fisheries regulations (the Forest Code) was approved by the National Assembly and enacted by the President. Limbi Blessing, the Executive Director of Ecological Balance, sees forests in Cameroon are natural Automated Teller Machines (ATM), which provide cash all year round through forest spices, nuts, fruits, tannins, herbs, etc. This means that community forestry can serve as a vital tool for decentralization, an efficient strategy for achieving sustainable resource management and poverty alleviation.

By Njiafu Benardin

Categories
E-Newsletter Media Centre

15 Young Cameroonians Acquire Skills on Plastic-Free Packaging Production

Ecological Balance Cameroon has built the capacity of some 15 young Cameroonians in Buea, South West Region of Cameroon on the use of paper to produce various packaging materials. This was during a 2-week-long  training workshop in Buea, from August 30 to September 10, 2022.

Plastic Waste Man

The workshop was organized as part of Ecological Balance’s commitment to develop sustainable value chains for non-wood tree products in Cameroon. The youngsters were trained and strategically positioned to provide packaging material for the many small businesses emanating every day. They were drilled on the production of different types of bags, boxes, and others.

Arrey Esther, one of the trainees, thanked Eco Balance for the “timely training workshop”. She expressed her desire to begin a packaging business with the skills acquired.

 According to the Cameroon Ministry of Environment Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development, about 600,000 tons of plastic waste are generated in Cameroon every year. Most of these end up in the environment, and if present trends continue, by 2050, the amount of plastic in oceans will outweigh the number of fish. Also, Cameroon spends over US$ 190 million on the importation of plastics annually (UN COMTRADE , 2018). By every means, we have to pave the way for a plastic-free future. one of the major challenges faced by small businesses in Cameroon is the lack of appropriate and affordable packaging material.

By Limbi Blessing Tata

Categories
E-Newsletter Media Centre

Ecological Balance Braces up to Introduce Black Soldier Fly Farming in Cameroon

Ecological Balance Cameroon is gearing up to start training local farmers in Cameroon on how to use Black Soldier Fly (BSF) to break down organic waste to generate farm inputs and proteins for animal feed, drawing inspiration from neighbouring Nigeria. BSF (Hermetia illucens) is a valuable insect species whose larvae have enormous potential for converting organic waste into compost, while the larval biomass generated could also be harvested for its protein and fatty acid content.

Ecological Balance Cameroon is working with Tobe Adegbite, the Founder/Director of a Nigeria-based organization, Entojutu Nigeria, to develop a model that would enable farmers to adopt the circular economy through BSF farming. According to Tobe Adegbite, the BSF farming is the way to go for both organic waste management and protein generation. ‘’Farmers that we have trained have had their expenditure on animal feed decreased by 20-40%. Others are able to break down over 400kg of farm waste in one month’’, Mr. Tobe asserted.

The Executive Director of Ecological Balance Cameroon. Ms. Limbi Blessing Tata, explained that the farm-specific model will involve the training of first the host institution Ecological Balance Cameroon (to serve as a seed bank) and then cohorts of farmers all over the Buea Municipality. “This would be followed by a three months mentorship period supervised by Ecological Balance, and 9 months period of upscaling during which each farmers cohort is expected to treat at least 400kg of solid waste per month,” she added. Meantime, Entojutu and Ecological Balance plan to source for better markets where 90% of the proceeds would go to the farmer and 10% to both organizations for sustainability. 

The coming of this project is expected to contribute to solving the problem of waste management in the Buea Municipality, and Cameroon as a whole. The Buea municipality is located on the Eastern slopes of Mount Cameroon with a population of about 300, 000 people.  Over 60% of the waste generated in this area is organic but the population has rather transformed roadsides into dumping sites; breading disease vectors, blocking the drainage, and polluting nearby water sources.

The quick development in the worldwide human populace and urbanization have prompted expanding requests for food creation and natural waste administration. As the requirements for nutritious food keep rising, it is basic to guarantee current and future food security, reduce waste generation, and promote sustainable farming that includes residue reuse and waste valorization. The use of the Black soldier fly an arising green innovation, addresses a tremendous potential in waste management. The fly can surprisingly decrease a wide variety of wastes and concurrently offer valuable animal or human feed and oil with high nutrient composition

  Limbi Blessing and Agborkang Godfred

Categories
E-Newsletter Media Centre

Ecological Balance Cameroon Trains Youths in Buea on Plantain Sucker Multiplication

 In the phase of increasing population, food prices, food insecurity, and youth unemployment, Ecological Balance Cameroon provided hands-on training on the botany and business of plantain sucker multiplication to some 6 youths in Bomaka-Buea. This experiential learning session, which brought together the young adults from different communities in Buea, September 8, 2022, sought to train those who will in turn transfer the skills to other youths in their communities.

The Executive Director of Ecological Balance Cameroon, Madam Limbi Blessing Tata implored the trainees to take advantage of various business opportunities that exist in the sector.

In Cameroon, especially in the southern regions, plantain farming is one of the major activities carried out on small and large scales for home consumption and commercial purposes respectively. The price of the cash crop has become exorbitant due to increasing population and scarcity of food.  ‘’At the Muea market in Buea, a bunch of plantain that was sold at FCFA 3,500 months ago, is now sold FCFA 6,000 or FCFA 6,500,” Mrs. Akeng Ruth, a Muea denizen said. The leaves of the cash crop, used locally in the preparation of delicacies like Achu, Koki, Kwacoco have also become expensive, with a bundle of 3 leaves costing FCFA 500, she added.  

Mr. N. Tipar, a student of the Department of Agriculture at the University of Buea, South West Cameroon, says he depends mainly on plantain suckers for his livelihood. ‘’I multiply and sell plantain suckers to farmers. I make about FCFA 2,400,000 ($4000) from plantain suckers every year. I also have a plantain farm where I planted over 1,500 suckers”, Tipar disclosed.

 Plantain, Musa paradisiaca (syn. Musa sapientum) is an herbaceous perennial belonging to the family Musaceae. It is a gigantic herb that springs from an underground stem, or rhizome, and grows to 3–10 tall with a sturdy pseudostem and large broad leaves arranged spirally at the top. The leaves are large blades with a pronounced central midrib and obvious veins. They can reach up to 2.7 m in length and up to 0.6 m in width. Each pseudostem produces a group of flowers from which the fruits (which are green to brown-yellow) develop in a hanging cluster(bunches). In commercial plantations, the parent plant dies after harvest and is replaced with a daughter plant.

Plantain is a zero waste plant, and income can be generated from all its parts. The suckers (roots) can be vegetatively propagated and sold, the pseudostem is used in the production of biodegradable pads, the fruits provide a staple food, the leaves are used in the preparation of other meals, and the flowers have been implicated in the traditional treatment of typhoid.

Plantains grow best in hot (>27°C ) and humid (>50% humidity) climates in soil that is well drained & aerated, rich in organic matter soil, with pH between 5.5 to 7.0, requiring rainfall of at least 1000 mm (39.4 in) per year and high light intensity. Plantains are grown mainly from suckers which are vegetatively propagated, and this has been explored as a business opportunity over the years.

After planting, frequent weeding is required until plants are tall enough to shade out competing plants. In about 12-15month after planting, the fruits which are in bunches can be harvested and can be eaten raw or ripened. The fruits can also be transformed to plantain chips, and or plantain flour, increasing the monetary value and shelf life.

By Agborkang Godfred E.         .      

Categories
E-Newsletter Media Centre

Tree Nursery Business, Unknown Nature-Friendly Source of Employment for Youths

Access to quality native forest tree seedlings for reforestation and landscape restoration in Cameroon is sometimes an uphill task. Most conservation and environmental non-profit organizations have had to travel long distances to purchase these seedlings and at very high prices.  

“In the field of reforestation, getting the quantity and quality of native forest tree seedlings needed for planting isn’t always easy. It is the scarcity of seedlings of native forest species in Buea, South West Region of Cameroon and the demand of trees needed for reforestation that made me start up a 25,000-capacity native tree nursery in 2020,’’ Ms Limbi Blessing, the Executive Director of Ecological Balance Cameroon, stated.

In a country with over 30% youth unemployment, youths should be able to fill up this gap. The establishment of such a business will not only encourage people to plant trees but also sustainably generate income for the owner(s). It would also make for readily availability of native tree seedlings to the government, international organization, NGOs, farmers, and some individuals taking measures to restore degraded lands. As such, the enormous consequences of deforestation will be reduced.

Setting up a native tree nursery business, according to the Tree Nursey Manager of Ecological Balance Cameroon, requires just land, labour and techniques on seed collection & extraction, generation of germination beds, timing/aftercare during/after transfer to polybags, and keeping them safe from pests and diseases.

The Nursery Manager underscores the economic benefits of engaging in a tree nursery business noting that “a single native tree seedling sells from 1000XAF depending on the species. One could also incorporate ornamentals and fruit tree seedlings that also sell well.  Non-forest timber tree seedlings are even more expensive (from 1500XAF) and have a higher demand.”  He believes “it is possible to make up to 3,000,000XAF or more per year from this business with the right connections/contacts.’’

In Africa and the world at large, sustainable forest management remains a pressing issue. About 15 billion trees are cut down every year with just 9 billion replanted making a net loss of about 6 billion trees a year (UNFF). In Cameroon, a review done in 2015 led by the Ministry of the Environment Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development disclosed that 3,316,770 ha are impacted by degradation in the Far North region. Among the primary variables of degradation is the uncontrolled double-dealing of timber assets for resource needs, which has led to enormous consequences: water scarcity, flood, soil erosion, loss in biodiversity, and decrease in income, etc.

 By NJIAFU BENARDIN 

Categories
E-Newsletter Media Centre

Bee Farming, a Sustainable Source of Employment for Forest Communities

Honey is a non-timber forest product that can serve as a veritable source of employment to forest communities, lessen poverty and enhance biodiversity conservation. According to forest conservationists, bee farming has the potential of changing the biodiversity conservation narratives. Forest adjacent communities see honey as a non-timber forest product that can help reduce poverty, strengthen biodiversity and conserve natural resources. The Cameroon Minister of Livestock Fisheries and Animal Industries, Dr. Taiga, noted recently that bee farming conserves ecological assets by increasing agricultural productivity through pollination.

Statistics indicate that there are over 20,000 bee farmers in Cameroon today, who earn about 30% of their yearly pay from selling honey and honey-related items. Mr. Lyonga Abel Toto is a bee farmer/trainer resident at Bova II, in Buea South West Region of Cameroon. He has been engaged in bee farming for the past 20 years. “I am married with 5 children, who are all in school. One of my children is reading Agriculture at Veterinary Medicine at the University of Buea.  Most of the income I use to sponsor these children in school and take care of my family comes from bee farming. It is a great source of livelihood,” Mr. Lyonga attested.

According to the experienced bee farmer/trainer, one Kenyan top bar beehive costs 25,000XAF and can generate about 20 liters of honey per year. “We use good hard wood like mahogany and with such., the hive can last for over 50 years. We sell a litre of honey at 4500XAF and we also get wax, pollen, propolis from the hives which have good markets,” he added.

Within the framework of the Irvingia Project, Ecological Balance, in May 18 2022, trained and donated basic equipment including Kenyan top bar beehive, honey harvesting suite, rain boots, hand gloves, etc. worth 100,000XAF to a start-up in Buea. This gesture came after an input vs output analysis carried out by Ecological Balance’s Volunteer, Aahan Kandoth, an economics student. “Total initial inputs amount to about 264,000XAF ($431) in training, basic equipment, 1 hive, labor, and packaging. This would result in about 200,000XAF ($327) in cash per year and over 7,000,000XAF ($11425) in social benefits (pollination, spread of money around the economy, health benefits from consuming natural honey),” the volunteer posited.

Bee farming like any other vocation requires the right training, equipment, and land. It starts with identifying an apiary, installation of beehives and then swarming or bathing of the hive with honey to attract bees. It is best to do this in the dry season. Monitoring, harvesting, and selling of bee products are also very vital parts of the farming process.

By Njiafu Benardin

Categories
E-Newsletter Media Centre

Ecological Balance Donates Food Items to 15 Needy Families in Buea

Many women have been made widows and children orphans between 2016 and 2022 due to the ongoing socio-political crises in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon. Such families live in intolerable misery and unbearable poverty given that the said relatives were the main breadwinners/providers and strength of the family. Many of these only strive to survive. Cognizance of this, Ecological Balance Cameroon donated food items to 15 needy families in Buea South West Region of Cameroon.  

These items including rice, maize, palm oil, Salt, seasoning cube and soap were donated on May 27, 2022, within the context of the Organization’s food donation programme.

The beneficiary widows and orphans said the donation came at the opportune moment.  “I’ve been a widow for about 6 years now. Everything was fine until we were forced to leave our village to join my sister and her already large family in Bomaka-Buea. Feeding has really been a challenge,” Madam Ajua Rose said.

Madam Ndum Pauline, in total excitement, told the Ecological Balance food donation team; “I am very grateful for the food items. May the God that keeps widows bless you and increase you”.  

The food donation was a huge relief to the needy orphans and widows given the recent hike in the prices of basic commodities in Cameroon. “It is God that made you remember us at this time. Can you imagine that the prices of basic food items have almost doubled? They say there is war in some countries and I wonder why a war in another country should affect us this much. What we have received will go a long way to help us,” Madam Bridgette Dembele, noted.

According to the Executive Director of Ecological Balance, the food donation event for the second quarter of 2022 met its objectives. “The joy derived from the smiles on those faces of these widows and orphans cannot be put in words. We hope to reach out to many more families subsequently,’’ she added. 

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in 2021, there were more than 811 million hungry people in the world, most of whom live in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the midst of this, global statistics indicate that 33% of food produced globally is wasted.

By Agborkang Godfred Ebot

Categories
E-Newsletter Media Centre

Ecological Balance Brazes up to Rewild Community Forests, Watersheds with 30,000 Trees

Ecological Balance is fine-tuning strategies and putting hands on deck to raise 35000 seedlings and ensure that at least 30,000 are planted before the end of 2022.

The Organization  is currently engaged in collecting seeds, filling in polybags with top soil mixed with fowl dung (organic manure), and potting of seedlings at it tree nursery in Bomaka-Buea, SW Cameroon, with a special focus on trees classified as threatened on the IUCN Red List. The potted seedlings are watered and dewed to ensure that they are healthy. .

Over 12000 seeds of Mahogany have so far been collected from Bokwango and 500 of njangsa from Bova and nursed. Over 2000 seeds of Leuceana  & 1000 of bauhinia have also been collected  from the University of Buea and over 1000 of seeds of acacia from Bulu and nursed. These seedlings will be added unto the 3323 seedlings of Jakaranda, Jathropha, prunus, mahogany, acacia, jack fruit tree, vocanga, njangsa, erythrina, sour sop, orange, lemon, pebbe, lueceana, bush mango, pignantus, money tree and plum tree seedlings that were raised in 2021.

“We have a big target this year of raising the nursery from 3323 trees in 2021, to 35000 in 2022, while hoping to  plant at least 30000 of them in community forests in Cameroon including the Etinde and Bakingili community forests, and water catchments. This only means we have to plan well and begin early,” said Madam Limbi Blessing, the Executive Director of Ecological Balance. 

According to her, these trees will  revamp community forest ecosystems, ensure community forest level sustainability in the management of forest resources, increase goods and services from forest and recharge ground water and improve water tables.  

NJIAFU BENARDIN

Categories
E-Newsletter Media Centre

90% of 1000 Trees Planted at Etinde Community Forest Survives!

Up to 90% of over 1000 trees seedlings, which Ecologocal Balance planted into a deforested patch of the Etinde community forest in West Coast-Idenau of the South West Region of Cameroon in November 2021, have survived. This information was made public by the  Head of Forest Rewilding at Ecological Balance, Njiafu Benardin, following an evaluation trip to the Community Forest in February 2022.

Etome is one of the several villages that hosts the Etinde Community Forest in the Mount Cameroon Area, South West Region of Cameroon within the Bakingili forest landscape. This community forest continually lost its forest to deforestation for agricultural purposes, fuel wood and timber harvesting, and from lava flowing from Mt Etinde.

Cognizant of this and in line with its desire to provide habitat for wildlife and mitigate climate change, Ecological Balance Cameroon in 2021 committed to helping the village to rebuild their forest, tree by tree. Over 10 native species including Entandrophragma angolensis (big leave mahogany) Riccinodendron heudolotii (njangsa), Irvingia gabonesis (bush mango) and Monodora myristica (pebbe) and some fruit and nut producing trees were planted. The choice of these predominantly local spices-producing trees, was to make the women and community value their forest more and jealously preserve it

 Meanwhile, more tree planting events are planned for the months ahead. Routine monitoring and evaluation activities like deweeding, collection of data on growth characteristics, wildlife etc will continue for up to 24 months when the forest is expected to be self-sustaining. It is hoped that through this project, up to one hectare of degraded forest land will be restored in order to restore biodiversity habitats, recharge ground water recharge & improve water tables, increase quantities & varieties as well as sequester carbon amongst others. The rewilding project is being carried out  thanks to financial support from Stiftung Arthenschutz.  

Categories
E-Newsletter Media Centre

Over 50 Cameroonian Youths Determined to Make a Difference After Inspirational Trip

“One of the things that I have learnt from this inspirational trip is how to balance my skills and certificates. I already acquired so many certificates and right know, I am embarking on developing my skills. I want to have something that I can actually do to serve my community and increase my living standard and those around me. This trip has served as an inspiration for that and I am really grateful,” said Dr Enama Albert, a Bomaka-based Cameroonian youth at the end of a 1-day Youth Inspirational Trip involving some 50 young people within the Buea Municipality, organized recently by Ecological Balance.

The Cameroon-based non-profit organization took the youngsters to some start up enterprises in Buea. These included a rattan craft and furniture center, and a packaging enterprise, where the founders and managers of shared their success journeys to let the youths know that there is so much they can do to navigate their way through the rising unemployment, poverty, lack of access to basic social security services and outright insecurity in Cameroon.

The young boys and girls sat through inspirational talks on topics like Entrepreneurial Mindset, The Missing Link Between Certificates and Skills, Holistic Communication, Academic Excellence & Research, The Co-operative Business Model and Backing for the Outstanding Youth amongst others as they journey from Buea to Down Beach-Limbe and back.  After seating through this journey, Betafo Evodia Kombe of Molyko-Buea now believes it is possible to make it in Cameroon. “This trip has inspired me to understand that I can make it here in Cameroon. I have come to understand that I can create an enterprise using the natural resources we have here in Cameroon like the rattan craft and furniture enterprise. All I need is to be focused, build and use my communication skills, dedicate my time in building new skills and looking for opportunities to invest the skills in,” she stated.  

Dr. Shey Robert Adamu, one of the Resource Persons noted that a visible change in the youths shortly after the Trip.  “Knowledge is power; with what we have dished out today, I think that there is a change in perspective, and mindset and they can be able to make a difference in their lives by themselves and not just relying on the Government,” he said. 

Aimed at inspiring youths to be the change they want, the Executive Director of Ecological Balance urged the young Cameroonians to leverage on the knowledge gathered from the different speakers, and take actions to make the change they want and be the change they want to see.