Forests for People

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Mediation and cooperation at field level:
Institutional support to four Technical Operational Units (TOUs) in the
Southwest and East Regions of Cameroon has facilitated their establish-
ment as effective mediation and cooperation platforms between various
local interest groups concerning the sustainable management of forest
resources. Issues including poaching, the utilization of forest tax reve-
nues, and the creation of national parks and council forests are discussed
at these platforms. To secure their sustainability, MINFOF has now
earmarked financial resources for TOU operations in its annual budget.
ProPSFE has significantly contributed to the participatory
development of Cameroon’s National Forests and Environment
Programme through its support for exchange forums and platforms
as well as by sensitizing stakeholders at national and local levels.
The nine Community Committees for the Management of Fauna
Resources in the Southeast Region of Cameroon are further exam-
ples of successful steering structures supported by ProPSFE. The
total value of their revenues in 2006 and 2007 exceeded € 120,000,
of which 51 per cent was used to finance community projects.
The ProPSFE committees of the Southwest and East Regions devel-
oped functional annual work plans for the first time in 2007 and 2008
respectively. Based on these plans, regional MINFOF delegations could
successfully lobby for funds to undertake important activities such as
forest monitoring and anti-poaching initiatives. In collaboration with
the GIZ Health Programme and the Association of Forest Industries in
Cameroon, ProPSFE has established a public private partnership for the
prevention and mitigation of HIV/AIDS in forestry companies. Trained
peer educators have raised awareness among over 4,700 workers in six
logging companies. For several companies the adoption of HIV/AIDS
workplace policies and prevention measures has contributed to their
compliance with Forest Stewardship Council certification criteria.
Monitoring, learning and innovation:
Through assistance in the establishment of a PSFE impact moni-
toring system, cooperation between MINFOF and the Ministry of
Environment and Nature Protection (MINEP) has greatly
improved, and transparency regarding industrial timber
exploitation has increased. The information provided
by these ministries can now be accessed at http://data.
The site has an average of 400 visi-
tors per week (traffic counter reading of May 2010) from
all over the world.
ProPSFE support provided to four councils in
Cameroon for the establishment of council forests has
served as a model for similar activities in other parts
of the country. In 2010, a total of 47 councils were
involved in the process of establishing forests that
could eventually supply additional sources of revenues
for local development initiatives. Additionally, GIZ has
demonstrated an improved technique for producing
charcoal and clay bricks from wood residues. Currently,
a group of 70 people produces about five tons of coal
per month using this technology. Further agreements
have been signed with two forest companies, two coun-
cils and one community association linked peripherally
to logging concessions to develop similarly sustainable
livelihoods and income generating activities.
Our approach and contribution: multi-level
implementation
The support of the German Development Cooperation
for the implementation of the National Forest and
Environmental Programme follows a multilevel
approach: experts from GIZ and KfW work in close
collaboration at different levels with national partners.
ProPSFE strengthens institutional capacities at the
national level through advisers placed at the central
ministries, and at the regional level through two
offices associated with the regional delegations of
Timber traceability will aid sustainable exploitation of forests in Cameroon Local communities should benefit more from forest resources
Image: Peter Schauerte
Image: G. Uluntuncok