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

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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;

5. 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)

6. Major conservation and poverty issues in
Cameroon
Displacement 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

7. 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

8. 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;
PhotoS.Abe,2014,MeetingwithLocalConservationPractitionners

9. 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
Somekeymessages

10. 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

11. PCLG-CAMEROON
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING