The project submitted by ANAFOR (Agence Nationale d'Appui au Développement Forestier) aims at creating 500 ha of community forest plantations in degraded savannah areas of Garoua I. The project objective is to improve the cultivation of degraded savanna lands of the forest reserve Gashiga, which is currently on the point of transfer to the community of Garoua I. The plantations have socio-economic and environmental objectives (timber, lumber, fruit trees etc.).
Local farmers are practicing the cultivation of millet, sorghum and wheat at the expense of natural essences such as caccia, caïlcédrat and others. Furthermore, the population exploits the reserve through firewood collection or periodical cattle grazing during the rainy season.
These activities would continue in absence of the project and consequently cause a continuous degradation. On the other hand, the establishment of forest plantations leads to improved soil fertility, the fight against erosion, improved water regimes and enhanced biodiversity through maintaining and restoring habitats.
The project aims at decentralization, which involves a transfer of skills and materials towards the regions and municipalities. In the forest sector, reforestation business will be transferred to the communities, who can start afterwards to develop communal forest plantations, which effectively contribute to the development of their local livelihoods.
In addition, partnerships have been formed and intervention strategies between the community, ANAFOR and local actors interested in reforestation have been harmonized.
The methodological approach of the project is characterized by the involvement of the community in all project phases (participatory planning, participatory implementation and participatory monitoring and evaluation) and by the empowerment of local people in the forest plantations on the basis of the contracts’ activities. Technical support has been provided to the public. This support includes, among others, acquisition of forest seeds, training on production technology of plant material, creation of nurseries for seedling production and establishment of plantations.
The community will benefit from the improved valorization of the Gashiga reserve and from the establishment of a forest heritage. The participatory and sustainable management of the forest will make additional resources available to the community and will contribute to the needs of the population. In addition, the implementation of this project will provide jobs for local people (nurseries, foresters, forest guards etc.).
At the global level, the project activities will have an impact on the fight against climate change by increasing the canopy of the savanna and improving the sequestration of C02.