Improvement of income and the livelihood of farmers for non-timber products

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Manyu Community Radio, Mamfe, Cameroon

Partner

In 2009, seven organisations in the Manyu region present to MIVA/oneMen the idea of starting a multimedia centre, of which a community radio is to be an integral part. This is to provide a wide audience with a platform for issues and concerns of the Manyu community and its diaspora (e.g. environment, infrastructure, health, sexual mutilation, education, economic, agriculture, human rights). The radio is installed in August 2012, and officially opened on 23rd October 2012.

It is agreed to create a new organisation which takes full responsibility for further development and running of the radio. New statutes are drawn up and the now managing partner Cyjulerc is given the task of registering the new organisation, Manyu Community Radio (MCR).

Project Objective

  • Increase farmers’ income from non-timber forest products.
  • Ensure sustainable management of non-timber forest products sector.
  • Increase quantity of non-timber forest resources. Replace timber trees exploited in Manyu forest for over twenty years by promoting planting of non-timber forest products trees.
  • Encourage community participation in forest governance and educate communities on forestry laws.
  • Protect more water sources from drying out, and conserve environment.
  • Reducing exposure to heat epidemics in an already extremely hot region.  

Activities

  • Production of radio programmes on non-timber products (daily spots, live talk shows/interviews/ debates/documentaries, etc. on non-timber forest products).
  • Production and broadcast of programmes on legislation concerning harvesting and commercialisation of non-timber products in Cameroon.
  • Training on cultivation (nursery and planting) of non-timber products.
  • Marketing of non-timber forest products.
  • Raising awareness on the importance of a common market and creation of a cooperative for non-timber forests products farmers.
  • Organise, produce and broadcast participatory training programmes on cultivation of non-timber forest products.
  • Train MCR’s young journalists and technicians on production of documentaries, conduct of interviews and interactive talks, etc., during the implementation of this project.