IOs Get Better Understanding Of DRYAD Project Implementation In Cameroon

Some four Implementing Organizations (IOs) of the World Agro Forestry Centre (ICRAF) Dryad project in Cameroon have expressed full understanding of the implementation process of the Dryad project in Cameroon.

By Sheron Endah

At the end of a five-day Training on Community Forest Enterprises (CEF) management in Yaounde organised last February by ICRAF, the IOs including ERuDeF, CAFER, CAMECO and CAFT acknowledged having an depth understanding on the implementation phase of the project.

The IOs testified having a much better comprehension on financial planning, operational accounting, and how to use Field monitoring Systems (FMS) for data collection amongst others.

“This workshop was relevant. I now have an in-depth understanding of the implementation phase of the project. All reporting methods and deadlines were well explained,” said Nkeng Ursula, Director of Finance for ERuDeF

The IOs promised to assist in the identification of some 12 community forests among which four with the most potential will be selected and groomed in to viable community forest enterprises. This according to them, is a way of facilitating the realizations of the Dryad project objectives

They pledged to work with different CFEs within their areas to establish SMART objectives, which will subsequently be monitored through a range of indicators that reflect the state of the community, the performance of the enterprise and the health of the forest, respectively.

At the end of the workshops, the IOs agreed to work with different CFEs on various issues including business planning to identify and develop non-forest timber products (NTFPs) and eco-tourism; planning how the business will function; identifying and develop marketing enterprises for NTFPs for sustainable forest management and conservation.

The process will require developing value chains for natural resources within the different community forests and linking them to both national and international markets.

The IOs were also charged with the responsibility of accompanying the viable CFEs and groom them towards becoming self-reliant when the project concludes.

The Drayad project is supported by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) with the World Agro Forestry Centre (ICRAF) as the coordinating partner.