Jengi Project
Case Study C0141
[edit]
| Date | 2005 |
| Agency | WWF |
| Project type | Implemented by agency |
| Context(s) | Protected area |
| Geographic coverage | Cameroon |
| Locality | South-east corner of Cameroon |
| Biodiversity focus | Ecosystem/landscape |
| Development focus | Local communities |
| Conservation goals | Promote the sustainable management of biodiversity in the south-east region of Cameroon |
| Poverty reduction goals | Improve the living conditions of local people |
Summary
Situated at the extreme south-east corner of Cameroon, WWF’s Jengi project covers a total surface area of about 2.7 million hectares, including up to 12.5% of Cameroon’s total land area. The vision of the project is to promote the sustainable management of biodiversity in the south-east region of Cameroon while contributing to improve the living conditions for local people.
The Baka pygmies, the indigenous population of this area, have long recognised the need to protect their natural environment. However, the richness of animals and plants in Cameroon's south-east forests have attracted many others whose only interest has been exploitation. Logging from foreign companies has sharply increased in the last decades. In addition, partly encouraged by insecurity in neighbouring countries and the supply of weapons it produced, more people took to poaching and the trade in bush meat flourished, as did illegal mining and the trapping of parrots.
In response to this situation, and after a long negotiation phase, WWF won the support of local communities and the government for a project aimed at promoting sustainable logging and, more generally, a sustainable management of all forest resources. As part of the Jengi project, WWF has established three Protected Areas (PAs) in Lobeke, Boumba Bek and Nki, covering some 700,000 hectares of forest. A monitoring programme surveys key bio-indicators and trends, and local staff have been recruited and trained to manage the PAs. Conventions with major stakeholders have been set up against poaching. Community hunting zones have been set up to address subsistence hunting needs, and some villages have engaged in managed commercial sports hunting. Collaborative agreements with some logging companies to work towards sustainable forest management and certification have been signed, and the project is also involved in major cross-border conservation initiatives with Gabon, Congo-Brazzaville and the Central African Republic.
Conservation impact
Some of the projects conservation achievements to date are: the establishment of three PAs in Lobéké, Boumba Bek and Nki covering some 700,000ha of forest; the establishment of community hunting areas and defined users zones around PAs; the development of an ecological monitoring programme to monitor key bio-indicators and trends; the establishment of collaborative conventions with some logging companies for implementation of SFM activities.
Poverty reduction impact
Local staff have been recruited and trained to manage the PAs. Community hunting zones have been established to address local communities subsistent hunting needs, while sport hunting activities have been initiated in village hunting territories to secure income for communities.
Strategy for Conservation/Poverty Linkages
Partnership with private sector
Local conservation enterprise opportunities
Sustainable Use
More information
Leonard Usongo, Regional Coordinator Jengi Forest Programme
Phone: +237 221 70 83
Related records above this one:
- WWF International (Organisation O0115)