This project seeks to break the cycle of deforestation and overexploitation of land by combining environmental stewardship and economic opportunity: 50 trained local children in Tali community, South West Region of Cameroon will plant and care for 2000 local fruit-producing trees. The fruit will then be sold to create economic incentives for villagers as a method in which to prevent further cutting and burning of the area's precious forests.
Imagine coming to Cameroon, a kid of 10 is selling fruits harvested from an orchard planted by the kid. This is the Cameroon we want to see through our Community orchard for kids by kids project. According to the U.N. FAO, 42.1% of Cameroon is forested. Of these forest cover, 1% is lost annually. At this deforestation rate, if care is not taken the next generation will suffer. This project is to imbibe in these youngsters environmental best practices, combining it with economic opportunity.
By bringing the children close to nature, the project will create a mindset shift among these youngsters towards environmental restoration and hence, a drastic reduction in environmental destruction in the near future. Also, the project will increase the income of the rural farmers through the sales of the fruit trees. This will also go a long way to reduce the alarming deforestation rate of the rural community that depends solely on the forest and its resources.
The project will establish an orchard of over 2000 indigenous fruit trees for 50 children and their families. The children will also be trained as environmental stewards capable of establishing their own orchards. The family income of 50 households will be improved while reducing the rate of deforestation in the community by half in the next 10 years.
