On July 22, 2026, SAILD organized a workshop to summarize the findings of the participatory restoration project for the degraded forest landscape in Deng Deng National Park in Bertoua, in the East Region. The workshop focused on presenting the project’s main achievements, the results obtained, and the changes observed at the community and park levels.
10,000 trees planted, 41 hectares of land restored, more than 03 agroecological production techniques introduced, and 90 households equipped. These are the key figures from the participatory restoration project for the degraded forest landscape of Deng Deng National Park (PNDD), presented during the closing workshop in Bertoua. Funded by the IKI Small Grant initiative of the German development agency GIZ and implemented by SAILD since July 2024, this initiative brought together administrative and sectoral authorities (from MINFOF, MINADER, and MINDEP), the conservation service, local communities, and traditional leaders to mark the culmination of two years of efforts in the villages of Hona, Mansa, and Kombocassi, in the Belabo district.
Balancing the restoration and the economy
Faced with deforestation, bushfires caused by slash-and-burn agriculture, and poaching that threatened the park, SAILD adopted an approach that balances restoration with economic considerations. “When we talk about protecting the forest, it’s often at the expense of people’s livelihoods,” explains Aristide Tchounkeu, project manager at SAILD. “We’ve introduced hands-on training in agroecology and agroforestry, along with the planting of fruit and forest tree seedlings, to encourage beneficiaries to protect their environment while ensuring their food security,” he continues. In total, 152 farmers have mastered new sustainable agricultural techniques.
On the ground, the results are tangible. Jerry Mbi Kirensky, a PNDD ranger, attests to a paradigm shift: “We are seeing a reduction in deforestation and a clear change in behavior. People are venturing less and less into the park’s surroundings and are participating in the restoration of degraded forest areas to earn a living. There is no longer any uncontrolled destruction of forests, and hunting is on the decline. The community, which was once accustomed to hunting and selling game, has come to understand that sustainable agriculture generates more income,” he admits.
Sustaining the project’s momentum
The Bertoua workshop yielded clear directions for the future. Participants took the opportunity to outline the actions needed to continue the restoration efforts despite the project’s conclusion. They recommended technical support from the government, particularly the MINADER departmental office, and the creation of village monitoring committees in each village. To maximize future financial benefits, organizing producers into cooperatives is being strongly considered to facilitate group sales at markets.
Encouraged by this success, local authorities are already advocating for an expansion of SAILD’s activities to other villages bordering Deng Deng Park that face the same problem.
- Sharon Maché
