In line with its landscapes restoration initiative, SUHUCAM organized a three-day working outreach program to engage indigenous Mbororo women in the restoration of degraded agro pastoral lands in the Bamunkumbit community, in the North West Region of Cameroon.
Support Humanity Cameroon from the 6 th to the 8 th of April, 2023, carried out a series of environmental activities in Bamunkumbit community in the North West Region of Cameroon. The organization on April 6, organized a capacity building workshop with 45 indigenous Mbororo women from Awing, Balikumbat and Bamunkumbit villages at the Ardorate of Bamunkumbit. This activity is part of the project to build the capacity, provide farm inputs and engage indigenous Mbororo women in the restoration of degraded agro pastoral landscapes funded by New England Biolabs Foundation (NEBF).
The women received training on climate change and it’s impact on the livelihood of the local population, vegetable nursery establishment, organic vegetable garden management, composting and basic marketing technics for their local produce. “This training is very important to us. SUHUCAM only introduced this activity to us last year. We requested for more training. Today, I have learnt many new things and I am sure my farm this year will be better.” Mariama Issah, an executive of the Ma’ate Mbororo women Common Initiative (MAMWA-CIG) group expresses satisfaction at the end of the workshop.
Phase two of the outreach program was for practical training and tree planting. Silakeh Ebel Serge, an agro pastoral technician, gave the beneficiaries practical lessons on various methods of vegetable nursery establishment, composting and organic vegetable garden. The women were then engaged in tree planting activities led by Sunday Geofrey, the project lead. After planting 5 fruit trees at the ardorate, 250 fruit trees were distributed to the project beneficiaries to integrate on their farms. SUHUAM Coordinator encouraged the women not only to plant these trees but ensure their survival because of the multiple benefits that it will bring to both the environment and them.
To round off activities, farm inputs comprising of improved seeds, watering cans, wheelbarrows, buckets, sprayers, hoes and cutlasses were distributed to the beneficiaries. At the end of this exercise, Abiba Manou, the president of the MAMWA-CIG could not hide her feelings. “When we started last year, I didn’t know things were going to be this serious. Many women were not motivated but today, many are requesting to join our group and benefit from this project. I am happy, thank you very much for this support.”
The membership of MAMWA-CIG has increased from 30- 50 members and many more women and single mothers are expressing their interest to be part of this initiative. The MAMWA-CIG is the first formal grouping of indigenous Mbororo women living around the Bamunkumbit Integrated Community Forest (BICFOR). With a literacy rate of 1-30 women, and with the multiple challenges this community is facing such as the ongoing Sociopolitical crisis in the North West Region, Cameroon, COVID-19, Climate Change and degradation of agro-pastoral lands among others, SUHUCAM is seeking ways to empower most especially the women.
his is to ensure their inclusion in the decision making processes, engage them in income generating activities and improve on their well-being because they are the most affected by these multiple crisis“T.” Says Sunday Geofrey. “Engaging these women most especially in organic vegetable cultivation and encouraging them to integrate fruit trees on their farms will bring multiple benefits both to nature and to the community. Besides producing fruits and improving on income and nutrition, these trees will also enhance soil health and help these communities adapt to the increasing effects of climate Change” Sunday adds.
