The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), through support from the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and Global Environment Facility, Small Grant Programme (GEF- SGP) has launched a programme to improve forest management, conservation of landscape and rural livelihoods in selected forest-edge communities.
The communities are Ebok, Kabakken and Ebranta in Boje, Boki Local Government Area of Cross Rivers State.
It would be recalled that NCF in 2017 had set up the Community-Based REDD+ programme (CBR+) to promote activities that boost poverty eradication, promotion of improved crop varieties and yields, gender empowerment, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Through the funding, the communities cultivated two acres of land respectively with improved cassava stem cuttings, set-up cassava processing mills, cultivation and domestication of Afang Gnetum africanum by community members.
In order to restore and cope with the impact of landslide-affected community forests, 4,000 tree seedlings raised by the beneficiary communities were planted to restore degraded forests.
According to a statement by NCF, the estimated beneficiaries are 36 households comprising about 250 individuals and their income levels have improved by 10%.
15 forest eco-guards made up of 5 representatives from each community has been established. These eco-guards along with the Community Council of Chiefs make up the natural resources governance committee.
Mr. Tony Attah, the facilitator for community forest bye-laws at the training applauded NCF for the laudable strides made and called on the people to take full advantage of the opportunities that the CBR+ project presents.
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