Integrating landscape ecology into landscape practice in Central African Rainforests

Context: We describe how large landscape-scale conservation initiatives involving local communities, NGOs and resource managers have engaged with landscape scientists with the goal of achieving landscape sustainability. We focus on two landscapes where local people, practitioners and landscape ecol-ogists have co-produced knowledge to design conservation interventions. Objective: We seek to understand how landscape ecology can engage with practical landscape management to contribute to managing landscapes sustainably. Methods: We focus on two large tropical landscapes: the Sangha Tri-National landscape (Cameroon, Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic) and the Batéké-Léfini Landscape (Gabon and Republic of Congo). We evaluate (1) a participatory method used in the Sangha Tri-National landscape that embeds interdisciplinary researchers and practitioners within a landscape to apply transdisciplinary learning to landscape conservation and (2) a participatory landscape zoning method where interdisciplinary teams of conservation practitioners analyse local land and resource use in the Batéké-Léfini landscape. Results: We find that landscape ecology's tradition of understanding the historical context of resource use can inform landscape conservation practice and natural resource mapping. We also find that the Sangha Group provides an example for landscape ecology on how to integrate local people and their knowledge to better understand and influence landscape processes. Conclusions: Place-based engagement as well as the uptake of co-produced knowledge by policy makers are key in enabling sustainable landscapes. Success occurs when researchers, local communities and resource managers engage directly with landscape processes

COVID-19, systemic crisis, and possible implications for the wild meat trade in sub-Saharan Africa

Wild animals play an integral and complex role in the economies and ecologies of many countries across the globe, including those of West and Central Africa, the focus of this policy perspective. The trade in wild meat, and its role in diets, have been brought into focus as a consequence of discussions over the origins of COVID-19. As a result, there have been calls for the closure of China’s “wet markets”; greater scrutiny of the wildlife trade in general; and a spotlight has been placed on the potential risks posed by growing human populations and shrinking natural habitats for animal to human transmission of zoonotic diseases. However, to date there has been little attention given to what the consequences of the COVID-19 economic shock may be for the wildlife trade; the people who rely on it for their livelihoods; and the wildlife that is exploited. In this policy perspective, we argue that the links between the COVID-19 pandemic, rural livelihoods and wildlife are likely to be more complex, more nuanced, and more far-reaching, than is represented in the literature to date. We develop a causal model that tracks the likely implications for the wild meat trade of the systemic crisis triggered by COVID-19. We focus on the resulting economic shockwave, as manifested in the collapse in global demand for commodities such as oil, and international tourism services, and what this may mean for local African economies and livelihoods. We trace the shockwave through to the consequences for the use of, and demand for, wild meats as households respond to these changes. We suggest that understanding and predicting the complex dynamics of wild meat use requires increased collaboration between environmental and resource economics and the ecological and conservation sciences

Econometric analysis of the determinants of adoption of alley farming by farmers in the forest zone of southwest Cameroon

Slash-and-burn agriculture continues to expand in many parts of the forest zone of Cameroon. One alternative land use to slash-and-burn system is alley farming. This paper quantifies, using an econometric model, the factors determining farmers’ adoption and use of alley farming variants in southwest of Cameroon, based on a survey of 156 farmers in 11 villages in the region. The analysis showed that male farmers are more likely to adopt than women. Adoption is higher for farmers with contacts with extension agencies working on agroforestry technologies. Adoption is higher for farmers belonging to farmers’ groups. Adoption is lower for farmers in areas with very high population pressure, as farmers in such areas may have greater labor productivity from use of less labor intensive natural resource management technologies like chemical fertilizers. Adoption is higher for farmers in areas facing fuel wood scarcity. Farmers have made adaptations to the conventional alley farming technology recommended by researchers, the most significant adaptation being the introduction of fallow periods into the system. Farmers use alley farming as a land use option, not as a replacement for the slash-and-burn system, since land supply is still relatively elastic. Achieving increased impact with alley farming variants requires effective targeting. Results showed that econometric modeling using farmer and village characteristics, socioeconomic and institutional variables can lead to more effective targeting to farmers and locations where higher adoption rates may occur

Analyse economique de la consommation du bois de feu en regions forestieres: lecons des zones urbaines camerounaises

This paper aims at analyzing fuel consumption in households of forest zones, and at showing the place of fuelwood as a source of energy in the region. The study was carried out in Cameroon and it was based on a survey done in 1996. A sample of 400 households from Yaounde, Mbalmayo and Ebolowa was used. The results obtained confirm the importance of fuelwood, in its different forms, as a source of energy in urban areas. This importance is higher in less urbanized town, while the spatial repartition of the others sources of energy (kerosne, gas) is reserved. Finally, the econometric analysis, using of Engel's curves allowed the elasticity of income to be assessed, showing a negative link between income levels and fuelwood consumption

Learning from change in the Sangha Tri-National landscape

A participatory landscape monitoring initiative was introduced in the Sangha Tri-National landscape at the frontier of Cameroon, the Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic in 2006. The initiative allowed a broad range of stakeholders, called the Sangha Group, to monitor changes in local peoples' livelihoods and the environment. The group held annual meetings to discuss changes in the landscape. The intention was that the work of the Group would enable adaptation of management interventions. Simple simulation modelling techniques and a set of indicators were used to track changes in the landscape. Indicators were identified by local people who were then invited to assess them annually. The large number and diversity of stakeholders occupying a vast area of forest and a shortage of skilled enumerators meant that indicator values were difficult to measure consistently. However the existence of the models and indicator framework did enrich the discussions amongst the stakeholders and helped them to understand the main drivers of change in the landscape. Interventions of aid agencies and conservation organisations had little impact on local peoples' livelihoods but external influences, notably the global financial crisis in 2008 and the civil strife in the CAR sector beginning in 2011 caused a serious deterioration in livelihoods and the environment in the landscape

Value chain analysis of vegetables in the humid tropics of Cameroon

Vegetables have high farm gate values and their consumption can alleviate malnutrition. A study was conducted to analyze vegetable value chains in selected locations of Cameroon. Data were collected from key vegetable value chain actors and stakeholders using structured questionnaires customized for 162 producers, 65 traders, 12 exporters, 30 processors and 29 transporters in the humid tropics of Cameroon. The analysis included value chain mapping, detailed description and quantification of value chains, and economic evaluation of value chains. Most vegetable crop value chains are relatively simple, and involve only five main groups: producers, transporters, traders, processors and exporters (for traditional leafy vegetable value chains); input suppliers are a sixth category for standard vegetable chains. Vegetables are produced under different production systems adapted to the agroecological and climatic conditions of various regions. Most vegetable farmers generally have poor access to input and output market support services, including agricultural credit; this lowers their capacity to invest in their farms. What limited credit is available is typically obtained through the informal credit system, which tends to be more easily accessible by men than women. This may explain the fact that men who are engaged in vegetable farming earn much higher incomes than women. Our economic analysis of the value chain shows a benefit-cost ratio > 1 for vegetable production, processing and marketing. This indicates the vegetable sector is generally profitable for all actors along the chain, although there are wide disparities in earnings as different actors are subject to site-specific market conditions, constraints, and circumstances

Wastewater use in high rainfall riverine cities: comparisons from Cameroon, Nepal and Vietnam

In Jimenez, B.; Asano, T. (Eds.). Water reuse: an international survey of current practice, issues and needs. London, UK: IWA PublishingIWA Scientific and Technical Report 2

Adaptations of cocoa and coffee farmers communities in the heart of remnant pristine forest of east Cameroon to institutional changes

With support provided by the state, cocoa and coffee are among the main perennial crops providing income to farmers living in the heart of the pristine forest of East Cameroon (Northern part of the Congo Basin). Regular in comes from these perennial crops have enabled farmers not to depend solely on forest resources. But During the 80s and 90s, some mains changes (cocoa and coffee crisis, liberalization of the economy and agricultural sectors and devaluation of local currency) occurred and influenced the management of cocoa and coffee. Based on participatory rural appraisal with 27 communities in the East province of Cameroon, the study evaluated (1)The dynamics of farmers’ practices before/during the crisis and the devaluation of local currency, (2)The comparison of income between perennial crops and other phytogenetic resources, (3)The current constraints on cocoa production and (4)Phytogenetic resource preferences of farmers in view of diversifying and increasing their income in and outside cocoa and coffee agroforest

Domestication dans les cacaoyères de la zone de forêt humide du Sud-Cameroun: caractéristiques et préférences des cacaoculteurs pratiquant l’arboriculture de Dacryodes edulis

The aim of this paper is to determine the characteristics and preferences of cocoa farmers in the humid forest zone of Cameroon who are actively diversifying their cocoa agroforests by planting Dacryodes edulis. A survey conducted amongst 300 farmers revealed that about 80 percent of them grow Dacryodes edulis in cocoa agroforests. More than half of them have completed primary school, half belong to farmer associations and only 10 percent have contact with extension services. This demonstrates the independent initiative of farmers to grow Dacryodes edulis and underlines the importance of capturing their knowledge and experience in integrating this fruit tree into cocoa agroforests. The number of cocoa agroforests per farmer decreases as one moves from a more forested area to one where pressure on land is greater. Dacryodes edulis is frequently associated with other planted fruit trees. However, in areas of higher land pressure it is often also planted together with other tree species. Overall, 47 percent of farmers plant at least 4 fruit trees and 38 percent at least 4 other tree species in their cocoa agroforests besides Dacryodes edulis. The interest in Dacryodes edulis does not prevent farmers from diversifying their tree stock within the cocoa agroforests. Dacryodes edulis complements other trees in addressing the need of farmers