Story
January 20, 2022
Ndjigba Jean David, Regional Delegate of the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (Minfof) for the Far North (French)
Country:
The legal charcoal value chain is promoted by the government in Cameroon.
This story excerpt was translated from French. To read the original story in full, visit Sciences Watch. You may also view the original story on the Rainforest Journalism Fund website here. Our website is available in English, Spanish, bahasa Indonesia, French, and Portuguese.
"The demand for wood energy is very high, which leads to multiple attacks on forest resources for charcoal production. All 6 departments of the Far North region are affected by this phenomenon, but the most incriminated are Logone-et-Chari, Mayo-Sava, and Mayo-Kani. This is often done in order to supply the urban center of Maroua.
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"This phenomenon has become more widespread in recent years because of insecurity, which has led to population displacement, with the arrival of many refugees and internally displaced persons. They first attack forest resources, either to build a shelter or to make a field. While waiting for the field to produce, the first subsistence activity they often engage in is cutting wood to produce charcoal, as this does not require much capital. Even the Waza National Park is not spared."
