Field Journal

How Sustainable Livelihoods Are Safeguarding Dja Faunal Reserve

In the small community of Kagnol, bordering the Dja Faunal Reserve in southeastern Cameroon, 28-year-old Alo Mpoal Frank carefully spreads cocoa beans to dry outside his home. The beans, harvested from his nearby farm, represent a significant shift in his life. Once a poacher, Frank decided to leave poaching behind and adopt sustainable cocoa farming, a livelihood that respects and preserves the biodiversity of the reserve.

“After receiving sensitization from AWF, I realized the forest couldn’t provide the livelihood I needed,” Frank explains. “Now I have two farms, one of two hectares and another of three hectares, which provide for my family.”

Dja Landscape Map

Dja Landscape

Frank, who poached from the age of 18 to 25, now anticipates a harvest of 10 bags of cocoa, each weighing 100 kilograms—approximately $10,000 (about 6 million Central African CFA francs) in total earnings this season. In a country where the average income hovers around $2,000 (about 1.2 million CFA francs) per capita, Frank’s new livelihood offers a transformative economic opportunity.

Since 2018, with support from the European Union, AWF has facilitated sustainable cocoa farming training for communities around the Dja Faunal Reserve. This initiative promotes conservation-friendly practices such as agroforestry, agriculture, fish farming, and forest harvesting, in collaboration with local communities. Frank, one of 224 community members partnering with AWF, received his training and his first set of cocoa plants in 2020. Since then, he has gained practical skills, learning not only how to grow cocoa but also how to process and sell it.

With increased earnings from cocoa farming, Frank can now cover medical expenses for his wife and parents. Additionally, he supports his brothers by paying their school fees and transporting them to school on his motorcycle.

“I always encourage my friends and brothers to invest in agriculture,” Frank says. “I’m confident that my children will be financially secure, as they will continue this farming. Even if AWF leaves, I can train others in the community who are interested in cocoa farming.”

Using profits from his first cocoa harvest, Frank purchased a motorcycle, allowing him to transport processed cocoa to the market, which is 1.2 kilometers from his home. To further improve market access, AWF has partnered with Tropical Forest and Rural Development, a local NGO, to address the transportation challenges faced by local farmers. This collaboration has organized farmers into four regional groups, facilitating easier connections with buyers.

Dja Faunal Reserve: A Key Biodiversity Area

Dja Landcape

Dja Landscape

The Dja Faunal Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, covers approximately 5,260 square kilometers and is home to endangered species such as western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, African forest elephants, giant pangolins, and leopards. It is surrounded by 37 villages with a total population of about 40,000 people, many of whom rely on farming and the collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) for their livelihoods.

Since 2015, AWF has engaged local communities to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation. Through training on park boundaries, distributing cocoa plants, and introducing fish farming, AWF has worked to create alternative sources of income that do not rely on the exploitation of wildlife. To date, over 85,000 cocoa plants and 5,000 palm kernel plants have been distributed to locals in 22 communities surrounding the reserve.

sustainable Cocoa - Dja

Kagnol community during a cocoa distribution activity.

The collaboration between AWF and local communities has fostered a Reciprocal Environmental Agreement with the conservation service of the Dja Faunal Reserve, governed by the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF). As part of this agreement, villagers have pledged to avoid poaching and illegal wildlife trade, with conservation officers conducting regular follow-ups to ensure compliance. Those caught poaching face trial and legal consequences.

“In 2023, 185 farmers were engaged in cocoa farming, and by 2024, that number had grown to 225. We continue to work with MINFOF to monitor the conditions under which these plants are grown.”

During the five-year program funded by the European Union, which concluded in FY23, local incomes experienced a 78% rise, while poverty levels were reduced by 83%

Through its collaboration with local communities, AWF is not only helping to conserve the rich biodiversity of the Dja Faunal Reserve, but also ensuring sustainable livelihoods for future generations. Cocoa farming offers economic alternatives that protect wildlife while empowering communities in Cameroon.

>>Read more on how AWF puts communities at the center of conservation.