Community – Game Guard shared management of anti-poaching measures in the Western periphery of the Dja Reserve

This is a pilot project, which FCTV anticipates up scaling and is funded by the Central African Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE).  The project was implemented between January 2011 and September 2011.

Please click on the link below for an overview of the project and its results and achievements (in French):

Presentation COBRADJA Novembre 2011 (french).pdf

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Project aim:

The project works with 4 communities in the West of the Dja Reserve, tackling the bushmeat trade through a collaborative approach. Working with both forest game guards and local community members the project aims to create collaborative anti-poaching committees and to support the local communities to develop alternative sources of income. These committees will be trained in forest monitoring techniques such as the mapping of hunting zones, the development of early warning systems and the recording of seized bushmeat.  Public auctions will also be organized for the sale of the seized bushmeat, the proceeds of which will be used by the communities to implement development initiatives that address their social and economic needs.

Project background

The settlements of Mekas, Mekin, Nkoldja, Evindissi have been single out as in particular need of this project, due to their relevance to the bushmeat trade as sites of entry into the reserve by poaches and their possession of large markets for the meat.

 Expected Results

Creating ‘shared management’ platforms through;

• The organisation of meetings between communities and conservation agents (game guards)
• Creation of Anti-poaching committees
• Legalisation of Anti-poaching committees

Building well developed monitoring activities with the;

• Training of committee members in anti-poaching techniques
• Full evaluation of lessons learned and the impact that the project may have on other communities.

 Project activities:

• Completing a baseline survey to establish the initial conditions of community organisation and stakeholders.
• Focus group discussion with residents of the villages that are thought to be the likely entry points for poachers into the reserve.
• Awareness-raising meetings about the need for game guard-community collaboration/ shared management.
• Creation of anti-poaching committees which are ‘co-management platforms’ managed jointly by game guards and the communities.
• Implementation and follow up of monitoring mechanisms developed by these committees.