WWF’s Green Business Model in Protected Area Conservation and Livelihoods Sustenance in Cameroon: The Need for a Shift in Approach?

Abstract

Rising interests to support green development through targeted conservation approaches in the developing world attracted international NGO attention especially in the 1990s. One of such NGOs, the World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has been backstopping many African nations in the process of realizing the twin objectives of livelihood sustenance and protected area conservation. In the case of Cameroon, one of her key areas of intervention has been the introduction of green business initiatives as a way of strengthening the link between livelihood support and conservation in protected areas. With a focus on Cameroon, we review the green business model (Note 1) as a WWF intervention approach in Africa. We undertake a random survey of household representatives drawn from 7 WWF conservation cooperatives in Cameroon on their perceptions and preferences with regards to the green business initiative. This was complemented by interviews to 8 WWF and partner CSO representatives, and field observations. The results are discussed to include a schema of the green business approach in Africa with a focus on Cameroon, cooperative members’ knowledge levels of the initiative, impact of the initiative and clarity of benefit sharing schemes in place, among others. The pairwise correlation shows a strong positive relationship between knowledge/experience levels and a number of elements including shortcomings of the initiative, the need for strategy improvement, and the tendency for outside influence on the green business choices. This aspect equally showed a strong positive correlation with the need to switch to other green business options and unclear benefit sharing. In conclusion, we argue for a shift in the green business approach to capture issues of improvement in knowledge levels, diversification, technical and institutional capacity building, clarity of benefit sharing, and value chain development. We further advocate for a green business approach in tandem with the aspirations of local populations around protected areas on the one hand, and the need for a conservation cooperative alliance on the other hand. The results contribute to the “green economy” discourse which has significantly gained grounds in all spheres of conservation and development interventions.

Constitutionality and the Co-Management of Protected Areas: Reflections from Cameroon and Myanmar

“…Second, local catalyzing agents need to be created and/or enforced by partnering with outside catalyzing agents. Investigating the possibilities of a strong alliance between these agents, and ways of sustaining them could be one avenue for further investigation (Kimengsi et al 2019). Thirdly, possibilities of enforcing local catalyzing agents to enhance advocacy and lobbying for government to recognize local constitutions around protected areas should be effectively investigated upon.…”

Can creating sustainable livelihoods with communities impact cotton‐top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus) conservation in Colombia?

“…Alternatively, other conservation enterprises create sustainable livelihoods by directly linking conservation and livelihood outcomes to the product (USAID, 2017). Participants in the livelihood program help to alleviate conservation threats through their participation, as the program connects benefit sharing, community aspirations, and environmental conservation (Kimengsi, Pretzsch, Auch, & Balgah, 2019). Some conservation programs create sustainable extraction programs for non‐timber forest products to produce items for sale and reduce destructive logging (Awono et al, 2010; Carr et al, 1993; Jumbe & Angelsen, 2007), while others teach skills to the rural poor that can reduce their demand to consume forest products (Adams et al, 2004; Coomes, 2004; Savage, Giraldo, Soto, & Garcia, 2000; Savage, Soto, & Giraldo, 2000).…”