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Cameroon

REGION: Londji
RESTORATION SITE PARTNER: The African Women’s Network for Community management of Forests (REFACOF)
ECOSYSTEM: Coastal Wetlands
RESTORATION COVERAGE: 1 hectare
The women of Londji 1, in the Kribi 2nd district of Cameroon, have been actively restoring and conserving mangroves for years. Supported by NGOs like Cameroon Ecology, OPED, and REFACOF, they have adopted improved stoves to reduce reliance on mangrove wood, benefiting fish smokers in the community. To address sea pollution, they also build and monetise eco-friendly “ECOSAN” toilets. Recognising their dependence on healthy mangroves, these women work to restore degraded areas despite increasing environmental challenges. Since 2011, they have regenerated at least 10 hectares of mangroves, planting over 1,000,000 seedlings along the coast. With early funding from the Ministry of Environment and ongoing support from Cameroon Ecology, they have led sensitisation campaigns, mapped community groups, and expanded restoration efforts. This initiative seeks to sustain their reforestation work while documenting existing conservation efforts across Cameroon’s mangrove ecosystems.
The Londji Community and REFACOF Team

Overview

The women of Londji 1 in the Kribi 2nd district, Ocean Division, South Region, have been dedicated to mangrove conservation and restoration for several years. Supported by NGOs such as Cameroon Ecology, Organisation pour l’Environnement et le Développement Durable (OPED), and REFACOF, they have adopted improved stoves to reduce their dependence on mangrove wood. Many women fish smokers now use these stoves and are satisfied with the results.

Additionally, to combat sea pollution, the Londji 1 community constructs and monetises eco-friendly dry toilets known as “ECOSAN toilets” (eco-sanitary toilets). As predominantly women fishers, they recognise that their livelihoods depend on the health of the mangroves. The increasing environmental vulnerability, exacerbated by climate change, motivates them to restore the mangroves that sustain their community.

Over the past 5-10 years, the women of Londji 1 have successfully regenerated at least 10 hectares of mangroves, planting over 1,000,000 mangrove seedlings along the Cameroonian coast. These efforts began in 2011 with funding from the Ministry of Environment. Since 2012, Cameroon Ecology has supported the Londji village, initially by providing eco-friendly equipment and later through direct involvement in mangrove restoration. They conducted information and sensitisation campaigns, mapped Kribi community organisations, selected beneficiary communities, and carried out field activities.

This project aims to continue the mangrove reforestation efforts of the women of Londji 1 while mapping and documenting the initiatives already implemented in Cameroon’s mangrove ecosystems.

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Women of Londji regenerating mangroves along the Cameroonian coast

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Women of Londji regenerating mangroves along the Cameroonian coast

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Hortense Ngono-Nga Onana from Women4Biodiversity restoration partner REFACOF presents a report on gender gaps in biodiversity policy at the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans technical meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroon on May 2023.

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Hortense Ngono-Nga Onana from Women4Biodiversity restoration partner REFACOF presents a report on gender gaps in biodiversity policy at the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans technical meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroon on May 2023.

A seedling growing in the restoration site

Cecile and Rose show us the REFACOF office

Group photo with the nursery

Group picture from the National Stakeholders Workshop in Yaounde

Locals prepare fishing nets

National Stakeholders Workshop in Yaounde

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REFACOF, W4B, and the Londji Community makes their way to the restoration site

Shruti Ajit for W4B presents at National Stakeholders Workshop in Yaounde

Smoked fish is a Londji specialty

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The Londji Community, REFACOF, and W4B Team

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The Londji Community, REFACOF, and W4B Team

The Londji Community, REFACOF, and W4B Team

Walking to the restoration site

Walking to the restoration site

Proposed outputs

Assessing Gender in Biodiversity Policies: Documenting the status of gender in biodiversity policies in Cameroon.

Enhancing Women’s Knowledge on Biodiversity: Improving women’s understanding of biodiversity mechanisms and the connections between biodiversity, gender, and climate change.

Building Women’s Capacity for Conservation: Strengthening the ability of women and girls to plan, analyze, and contribute to biodiversity conservation and restoration.

Mangrove Restoration in Londji: Planting at least 2,500 mangrove seedlings in degraded areas of Londji.

Fostering Women’s Networks for Conservation: Improving networking and knowledge sharing among women on biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration initiatives.

Activity in Cameroon

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Voices of Restoration: Highlights from the Restoration Site Writeshop in Nairobi

Text by Sumina Subba, Communications Officer, Women4Biodiversity Photos by Sumina Subba and Deepika Nandan, Visual Communications Officer, Women4Biodiversity “I can’t believe how fast these five days have passed!”, exclaimed Ivannia…
15.08.24

Field Visit to Londji, Cameroon: A Journey of Community and Conservation

A blog post by Deepika Nandan, Visual Communications Officer at Women4Biodiversity who reflects on her field visit to Londji, Cameroon in June 2024.
17.07.24

Smoke & Spice, and Everything Nice: A Photo Story on How Traditional Fish Smoking Sustains Livelihoods in Londji, Cameroon

A photo story on the fish smoking process in Londji, Cameroon.
11.07.24