Background and aims -Prior to European colonisation of Central Africa, human populations were dispersed through the forests, where they practiced slash-and-burn cultivation. From the 19 th century they were progressively concentrated in villages along roads, leaving large areas of forest derelict. In south-western Cameroon, and elsewhere in Central Africa, forest canopy is dominated by long-lived lightdemanding tree species, suggesting a possible role of human disturbance. The aim of this study was to bring new insights into the possible effect of historical human disturbances in terms of timing and spatial extent on the current forest composition. Location -Wet evergreen littoral forest in south-western Cameroon. Methods and key results -A combined vegetation sampling and archaeobotanical survey were conducted. Potsherds, oil-palm endocarps, and charcoal were found throughout the study area, suggesting generalised human occupation and anthropogenic fire. Human occupancy occurred in two periods: between 2200 and 1500 BP, and, more recently, beginning three centuries ago. High frequency of fire and the presence of Elaeis guineensis both dated recently (between 260 and 145 BP) suggest slash-and-burn shifting cultivation practices. These human-induced disturbances may coincide with the age of the current emergent lightdemanding species, the age of which can be estimated around 200 years, or with the phases of drying climate recorded in the Central African forest in the early 18 th century. Conclusions -These results support the idea that historical human disturbances are one of the major factors that shaped the current forest composition in Central Africa.

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This paper is a summary of the evolution of the legal and institutional framework and the practice of environmental assessment (EA) in Cameroon. A Ministry of Environment and Forestry was created in April 1992 with a mandate to elaborate, implement and follow up the national policy of environment; a master law August 1996 related to environmental management prescribes environmental impact assessment for all projects that can cause environmental degradation. However, this legal and institutional framework is yet to be effective. To achieve this, the existing framework should be completed by application instruments. Also the existing structures of authority should be provided with adequate human, financial and equipment resources. Based on two practical examples, the limitations of the present situation are highlighted, and some suggestions for improvement are made.

The northern zone of Cameroon, which depends mainly on agriculture, is considered one of the most vulnerable regions in the country to climate change. Few studies based on field data have examined the changes in climatic conditions that affect agriculture. This research focuses on fluctuations in precipitation that determine dry and wet seasons. From 1973 to 2020, data were collected from weather stations located in three major cities in northern Cameroon: Ngaoundere, Garoua and Maroua. Data were tested for homogeneity using the Pettitt and Buishand tests. Trends were analyzed using the Mann-Kendall test, Sen's slope estimator and the regression line, while drought severity was assessed using the standardized rainfall index method. These data homogeneity tests were performed using two statistical tools, SPSS and XLSTA software. According to the Pettitt’s test, rainfall increased by 29.6% in Ngaoundere from 1997 to 2020, compared to the previous years of 1973–1996; in Garoua, rainfall increased by 36.2% from 1988 to 2020, compared to the previous years of 1973–1987. However, from 1973 to 2020, the average rainfall in Maroua remained stable around 716.5 mm, with a decreasing trend according to the Mann-Kendall test. In conclusion, this study shows that rainfall has increased significantly in the cities of Ngaoundere and Garoua, making these areas favorable for seasonal and market gardening. However, in Maroua, caution is advised, as rainfall is reportedly decreasing in this locality, increasing the risk of food insecurity. A credible climate warning system must be implemented on a large scale to guide farmers.

This article aims to evaluate PAANEEAC (Projet d’appui au développement des associations nationales pour l’évaluation environnementale en Afrique Centrale), the program to support the development of national associations (NAs) for environmental impact assessment (EIA) in Central Africa. PAANEEAC’s objective is to improve the governance of investment decisions through strengthening capacities for EIA. From the literature explaining the failure of donor-induced capacity development programs, the article deduces conditions for success. The empirical assessment of PAANEEAC is based on document review, extensive interviews, and observations. It concludes that PAANEEAC managed to create platforms in which stakeholders meet with the common objective of improving EIA systems, and that this led to measurable, albeit modest improvements in EIA systems. Furthermore, PAANEEAC met most of the success conditions, which was instrumental for its performance.