Focused on women-led restoration of the degraded mangroves of the Equatorial African Rainforest, Organisation pour l’Environnement et le Développement Durable (OPED, Organization for the Environment and Sustainable Development) is transforming the local fishing industry by promoting sustainable shrimp aquaculture and providing energy-efficient alternatives to cutting down trees to smoke fish, a primary driver of mangrove forest loss in the region. Interventions are reducing deforestation, improving women’s health, and expanding local incomes. A range of alternative production and processing techniques – improved kilns, alternative energy sources, and using compost instead of mangrove wood – are ensuring the regeneration and conservation of local mangrove forests. These new processing techniques are also reducing the amount of time spent foraging for wood, as well as the frequency of eye and respiratory illness. Incomes have improved by 33 percent, while deforestation rates are down by 60 percent.

 

Key Facts 

Equator Prize Winner: 2014

Founded: 1997

Location: Kribi-Campo, South Region, Cameroon

Beneficiaries: Over 10,000 women, men, and youths from
communities across the South Region

Area of Focus: Community-managed forestry, sustainable
shrimp aquaculture, and alternative approaches to fish
smoking

 

Case Study

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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