By Hauwa Ali
The Cameroon government, collaboration with the Cameroon Wildlife Conservation Society (CWCS), Cameroon Mangrove and Wetlands Conservation Network and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) have it introduced renewable energy powered ovens in some fishing communities along the coastal regions of Limbe and Douala in Cameroon, helping the country redress the challenges of dwindling mangrove forests, mitigate the effects of climate change and fight poverty.
The government of Cameroon have been making efforts to protect mangroves with the use of alternative energy other than fuel wood for cooking and drying fish by the local communities and the Local councils, NGOs and other stakeholders are backing the governments effort through various support.
In the coastal towns of Batoke, Idenau fish traders are doing brisk business thanks to the installation of solar-powered ovens to dry fish, preventing what used to be massive destruction swathes of mangrove forest for firewood and spoilage from a lack of other preservation methods.
Fish smokers in these communities say the renewable energy project has improved on their awareness and knowledge about mangrove protection.
“We have come to learn about this new method that permits us dry our fish without much stress with the use of solar ovens and protect our forest,” says Joan Dione, a fish smoker in Idenau whose business is driven by customers from big cities in Cameroon and neighbouring Nigeria and Gabon.
The renewable energy powered ovens provided for fish drying to replace wood along the coastal villages of Batoke, Idenau, Down Beach in Limbe is a mangrove restoration programme supported by the Cameroon government, the Cameroon Wildlife Conservation Society (CWCS), Cameroon Mangrove and Wetlands Conservation Network and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) geared at giving life to not only the populace of the local community, but also assure the environmental future of generations not yet born, conservation experts say.
“The alternative energy has gone a long way to not only protect existing mangrove forest and restoring the rich biodiversity of the coastal areas but also improve the livelihood of the community through quality and quantity fish catch” says Timothy Kagonbe, sub-director in charge of local partnership in the ministry of environment and Cameroon focal point in the Inter Governmental Group of Experts on Climate Change.
With the installation of solar energy in the coastal region of Batoke, inhabitants now find alternative power supply other than wood for heating.
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In 2018, Some 25 fishing groups in Idenau and nearby Batoke in the coastal region of Limbe were also offered solar energy fish drying ovens in by the African Resource Group Cameroon, ARG-CAM working in collaboration with the Limbe city council as part of a wider drive to expand renewable energy like solar across the country.
The women attest the alternative fish drying methods have really improved on their income.
Joan Dione’s daughter Sharon Dione, 23, says in the past, drying a significant quantity of fish of 25 baskets in a day using wood was impossible.
“The process of using wood energy was so difficult, emitting smoke that was dangerous to our health and limited our production,” says Sharon Dione.
“The arrival of solar energy and solar drying ovens here has changed everything,” she adds.
The Limbe City Mayor, Paul Efome Lisombe Mbole, says the coming of alternative energy for fish drying and cooking is a welcome relief to the development drive and environment protection efforts to the coastal city that is very vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
“The coming of alternative and cheaper energy to our council area is a welcome relief. The project was born out of the need to improve the livelihoods of the people, conserve, protect mangroves and fight against climate change. We are moving to a new world now,” Paul Efome said.
The Limbe City Council district is a coastal area beset with numerous challenges related to climate change and environmental degradation.
“Given the fragile nature of its ecosystem, it is imperative that all our activities, economic or otherwise, are carried out in a sustainable manner,” the mayor explained.
Reports show that about 30% of Cameroonians living along the coastal areas of Limbe and Douala depend on mangrove resources for their livelihoods, particularly fish, timber and non-timber forest products.
Government statistics estimate about 1% of mangroves loss every year. The situation is even higher in the mangrove forests of the Wouri estuary in the industrial city of Douala with some 6.2% destruction rate per year.
Environment experts blame this on multiple factors like surging coastal population, urbanisation, fish processing, sand extraction and uncoordinated government and weak laws that not always applied.
