POVERTY AND CONSERVATION LEARNING GROUP:

Cameroon experience three years after

Presented by

Stanley Chung Dinsi, PhD & Simeon Abe Eyebe

Venue: La Palisse hotel, Kigali - Rwanda

Date: 4-6 Nov 2015

Outline

Background

How are we organised?

Our difference with other PCLG groups?

Major conservation and poverty issues in Cameroon?

Our focus areas and why?

What value added working as a network?

Our achievements?

Lessons learnt & challenges

Background

PCLG-C is one of several national chapters of

PCLG international coordinated by the IIED;

PCLG Cameroon was created in 2013 and is

nested within “GREG-Forets” which is

Cameroons FGLG

PCLG-C is hosted by NESDA-CA.

The convenor is Dr. Chimere Diaw, Senior

Scientist and Director General of the AMFN

PCLG-C is made up of over 21 individual members from across the conservation and development sectors;Secretariat: it is headed by a coordinator;Researchers: Two categories exist; Senior and junior researchers who are all members of the group

How are we organised? SOME MEMBER INSTITUTIONS:

National NGOs: NESDA-CA; AMFN; Green Development Advocates; CED; RERAD Environment for Life etc…

Int. NGOs: CIFOR; IUCN; WWF etc..

Universities: UYI & UYII etc.. Consultants: Environmental

Governance, forestry & wildlife etc…

Government Ministries: MINFOF, MINEPDED, MINTOUR

Financial Institutions: WB-Cameroon;

What difference with other PCLG groups?

Unlike other groups, PCLG-C is composed of individual members from organisations, sector ministries and private sector. This has an advantage in the sense that:

o Relaying on individuals give an opportunity to continue working with the same members who understand the subject matter even when they leave from one organisation to another;

o The group doesn’t need to build capacities of new members each time new members integrate the group (bring new members to the same level with the rest of the group members)

Major conservation and poverty issues in

CameroonDisplacement of populations due to

the creation of National Parks;

Increase poverty in displaced

communities due to creation of NPs;

Limited access to NTFPs by

indigenous communities ;

Illegal activities in conservation sites;

Out dated tenure laws;

Slow implementation of conservation

policies;

Inadequate knowledge and awareness

on great apes conservation;

Infrastructural development

negatively affecting conservation

What is PCLG-C focused on and why?

Area of focus: Conservation (Great apes) and Poverty reduction;Sensitisation of local communities;Research;Policy influence;The following activities have been accomplished:A mapping of conservation organisations and policies. in Cameroon; A study on private and public sector development and the impact on great apes conservation and livelihoods;Organising capacity building workshops for local communities to raise awareness of issues surrounding great apes and human conflict.

Why GAs conservation and Poverty reduction?

To raise awareness on the increase in illegal hunting of threatened wildlife in National Parks;

To carryout advocacy with policy makers for an improvement of the livelihoods of displaced communities for conservation purposes (the creation more National Parks etc…)

To influence Policies in key sector ministries on GA conservation and possible livelihood improvements

What value added working as a network? Increase ability to influence conservation

and livelihood policies; due to the

credibility (organisation and expertise of

its members) of PCLG-C;

Scaling-up priorities of local

communities;

Civil society participation in forest

governance has increased in Cameroon;

New knowledge is gained and experiences

are shared; thanks to the diversity of

backgrounds;

A better organisation and functioning of

the group; group tasks are distributed

based on domains of expertise;

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Our achievements?

Two communities in the south and southwest Cameroon have been sensitised on the importance of conserving great apes (through short radio programmes, news paper reports, TV documentary & workshops);

Strengthened the capacities of some great apes organisations(through workshops) on great ape conservation and local livelihood issues;

Contribution to great apes literature in Cameroon through its published reports (under review);

Meeting with Local Authorities and Community Representatives

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Lessons learned & challenges

Lessons learned:

PCLG networking is an opportunity to widen the scope of its members;

It gives more credibility to achievements;

With networking the chances of influencing decisions/policies are increased;

It also encourages individual and group commitments;

Challenges:

Bringing all members together during meetings is often impossible;

Inadequate funds set aside for very important research projects;

working with group members online is often difficult since very few people create time to make contributions

PCLG-CAMEROON

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