Madagascar is the world leader in the vanilla industry, accounting for almost 70% of the supply, but its cultivation of the world’s most prized flavour is causing ecological damage. In a study published at the end of December 2023, researchers from the University of Göttingen in Germany indicate that vanilla cultivation in the forest leads to a 47% reduction in endemic species. This drop in biodiversity can be avoided if vanilla is grown on fallow land.
Toute l'actu sur la protection de l'environnement
Fanta Mabo
CAMEROON-BENIN: conversion of forests, industrial agriculture takes precedence over subsistence farming.
The conversion of forests to farmland has become the main driver of deforestation. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), it is responsible for at least 50% of global deforestation, mainly for the production of palm oil and soybeans. In Africa, and more particularly in Cameroon and Benin, the industrial cultivation of oil palm, soybeans and cotton are the main factors of forest clearance. These crops occupy far more land than subsistence farming. All of which inevitably leads to land disputes between village communities and agro-industries.
African elephant: 1.8 tonnes of ivory destroyed in France to curb poaching
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the French Biodiversity Office (OFB) organised a large-scale ivory destruction operation on 28 November 2023. The operation, carried out in the commune of Reims in south-east France, is aimed at curbing the ivory trade and raising awareness of a trade responsible for the deaths of thousands of elephants, particularly those in Africa. In the space of a century, African elephant populations have plummeted by more than 90% as a result of poaching.
Summit of the 3 basins: NGOs want action during the Brazzaville conclave
From 26 to 28 October 2023, Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo, will host the first Summit of the world’s three major tropical forest basins: Congo, Amazonia and Borneo-Mekong. To ensure that this global meeting does not end with mere declarations, civil society is calling for action. The areas in which participants in this summit are being called upon to act are set out in a petition that civil society players are continuing to sign online.
CAMEROON: ODD, IWRM implementation stands at 49%.
Where does Cameroon stand in the implementation of integrated water resources management (IWRM)? This question was the focus of a workshop held on October 6, 2023, in the conference room of the Global Water Partnership-Central Africa (GWP-Caf) in Yaoundé. The level of implementation of Gire in Cameroon stands at 48.25%.