Enhancing Cameroon’s intertidal forest dynamics following anthropogenic impacts by Moudingo54CWCS

·         The proposed project is interesting and useful. Please include more information on the successes and failures of similar projects in Cameroon.

The initiative stemmed from isolated and separate lessons learned following community efforts mangrove restoration and improve smoke house ‘<http://cdm.unfccc.int/Reference/Documents> small grand initiatives that were since 2007 , all had limited fund and base on small grant that did not cover the mangrove block in Cameroon.  Moreover, for the improved smoke house oven have gone through many model and today standardizes for the “Morrison fish smoking stoves-MFS” with local material valorized here.

SWOT the initiative in the Cameroon Context

 Weakness/Failure:

·         Most often mangrove restoration were conducted with no prior understanding or study on the feasibility (State, Presure, Driver and Impact) and site suitability in terms of soil and tides salinity, climate, plant phenlogy, tidal influence an energy waves, etc.

·         There is marginalization of the problem of mangroves integration of management in local development plan in the current programs

·         Lack of cross-region strategy to channel foreign activities in mangrove areas with invasive species like the Nypa fruticans (Wurmb) gaining more potential restoration sites.

·         The traditional technical known how have not been full considered, hence there is weak capacity recorded

·         There has not been a clean local organization of the population around combining such approach in project.

·         Most of often, there are few initiatives that did not span from project (short term) to program (long term) to support local population due to limited funding that are not context specific in turns of local need

·         Proposal of pilot initiative geared towards intertidal conservation and protection have been usually conducted separately and not in synergy either because of ecological factors such as propagule availability or funding availability.    

·         Clean development mechanism  mangrove project in Douala-Edea under CWCS based on improve smokehouse forms the basis of the first Country’s CDM bio-energy project, funding still pending  

·         Monitoring mangrove restoration has been havoc and no clear restoration standard.

·         A part from the MFS, many other model have been introduced and with little traning and adadpted local material used

·         The greatest risk for Cameroon mangrove will be if international cooperation and assistance is not forthcoming.

 

Success:

·         As part of technology transfer activities, the pilot project constructed few demonstration the improved smoke house “Morrison fish smoking stoves-MFS”  and other type stoves for comparing and trained local artisans in the Douala-Edea wildlife reserves, hence the development of this project.   

·         Undertstanding the rotation and recrument of sapling following permanêmnt sample plost established since 2002. Presently there is 17 PSP that stardled across the mangrove block in Cameroon and the are. Hence, the experiental areas are there for the projet.  

·         Regenerated over 50 ha of degraded mangrove forests within the  peri- and urban centres of Cameroon Estuary

·         Mangrove restoration and protection projects have been conducted and has allowed the development of capacity key informant and documentation which can be drawn to value of acquired more endepth and further lessons learned insights to share.

·         CWCS with assistance from SNV, NOVIB-OXFAM and GEF-Small Grants projects has also developed innovative energy saving fish smoking techniques which have been widely vulgarized in the region through exchange visits with some sub regional NGOs from Congo DR, Nigeria, Benin and Senegal. CWCS working with other partners have put in a functional participatory mangrove consultative platform in the Douala-Edea mangrove areas of Cameroon estuary named: Steering Committee for Conservation and Valorisation of Mangrove Resources of Mouanko (COPCVAM) and such need to replicated into Rio del Rey. This approach ensured local content and the sustainability of such support.

·         Donors and international communities: secured road to fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals and global climate mitigation benefits through this initiative.

·         Some CBOs and NGOs under have benefited from added capacities, reinforced synergies and experiences of working with grassroots communities and government agents with some of these pilot initiatives.

• Some government technical services at local level gained new ways of mangrove reforestation, working with communities through the employment of their often idled expertise
• Over 1 000 people in grassroots communities across mangrove and associated coastal forest zones percieved more reforestation as they saw their degraded ecosystem restored for increased fish stock, benefit from tested MFS especially women curbed the income losses through poor health from traditional open polluting fires ovens, reduction in fish smoking time that facilitating engagement in other productive income earning activities, presumably 40% reduction in wood cut (when using traditional ovens) for fish smoking
• The development of a rapid participatory assessment tool for mangrove inventories and restoration was developed and need to be further tested according

 

 

 

In addition, please answer the following questions to strengthen the proposal.

1. What is the Government policy and political will?

 

·         Cameroon is committed to implement the principles and intent of international agreements to safeguard its biodiversity and for the sustainable management of its resources. This is reflected in the many International Conventions amongst which that of Climate Change, Biodiversity Conservation and Ramsar Convention per se. Hence,  by the fact that Cameroon became a party to the CBD by ratification on 19 October 1994 and of the CPB on 11 September 2003. Cameroon’s national biodiversity action plan (NBSAP) and various national reports can be accessed at  http://www.cbd.int/countries/default.shtml?country=cm; there is a communications on climate change, strategies on mangrove conservation and sustainable management recently enacted, the realisation of master plan for the two majore mangrove block, ESIA standard elaborated with the partnesship national NGOs. The gorvement has equally, sought the finance through the United nations FAO to enhance mangrove conservation through Community efforts by does not cover the hold mangrove forest block especially that of the Rio Del Rey Mangrove forest.

 

·         Cameroon has embarked on the promotion energy efficient across the country since 2005 through clear developpment mechanism and now the climate change scheme REDD+ with the development of the Readinnes preparation proposal in 2013, all to meet its emergent perspective. Most of initiatives are confronted limited or no funding despite the no objection of the initiative from the gorvement. In the process, of the four proposals received so far by the Gorverment only one has succedded to have funding namely that biogas of  HYSACAM, a waste mangment company. Presently with the eleboration the REDD+ strategy this initiative is timely and have to the support the gorvement mindfull of that it is in line with the development and employement strategic document of Cameroon.

 

·         Keys actors in the domain of mangrove conservation are known by the gorverment and is political will is  for participatory  resource management as the improved smoke oven have the no objective for implementation. In the pass, ministries of forest and environment were usually involved in accompanying the participants of the project in their adoption of the new technology, and they will jointly realize the monitoring of the project.

 

·         The gorverment is working to attract several donors are interested in the sustainable management of mangroves of Cameroon (FAO, GEF, ...) since there is peace and stability nation. The government of Cameroon see the attainment of its national programs and international conventions engagements translated in improved policies for the neglected mangrove ecosystems, also from stable and peaceful coastal population as results of sustain livelihood and long-term benefits from restored mangrove forests.

 

2. Who will meet the cost of the improved housing? 

·         The implementation of the improved smoke house “Morrison fish smoking stoves-MFS” will be participatory. The improved smoke house will be financially jointly established and monitored through individual and or community. The approach will be based on trade-off in which the individual or the community will have to provide their matching fond either in cash or kind (that will serve as their own contribution will be preferred) in the contraction of the improved house. On the one hand, the funding provided by the project will fund all the materials geared towards constructing the “Morrison fish smoking stoves” with the technical assistance from the NGO while the beneficiaries will provide a design space or area for the construction of the MFS.  The maintenance will be at the expense of the CWCS and the community and or individual involved.

·         When a smoke house owner agrees to benefit from the improved technology, this later will be his property. However, as CWCS finances the improved technology, does its monitoring specifically for emission reduction scheme and also implements trainings for fish smokers, smoke house owners agree with CWCS: To cooperate with CWCS and local steering committee for monitoring purposes, To maintain and, if necessary, replace the improved technology and To inform CWCS if the improved technology is not in use anymore.

 

3. What incentive is there for people to undertake the actions proposed in the project?

A study conducted in the Cameroon estuary specifically in the Douala-Edea wildlife reserve on community participation in mangrove restoration recommended that to strengthen community participation in  future  programmes  and  initiatives  in  the  DER  should be  put  in  place.  Hence, more attention will be accorded to both on human and financial resources through providing fuel to restoration sites, DAS for participating in on field training and meetings, stationaries, planting materials, protective wears adapted for in situ mangrove restoration to meet project objectives.