The Bimbia Bonadikombo and Etinde community forests have each produced a business plan for the production and sales of Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) like Bush mango, bush Pepper , and Ngongo leave respectively in large scale. The business models were developed recently as a prerequisite to obtain funding for the Dryad project.
While developing the Business Plan, members of the Bimbia Bonadikonbo and Etindi Community Forests agreed to employ collectors to collect Bush Mango and Bush Pepper from the Community Forest for drying and marketing by the Community Forest’s Management Committee. The business proposals development exercise, was also an opportunity for community members to identify some projects within their communities that could be realised with proceeds from the enterprise. Some of these projects include renovation of a primary school in Bimbia, hiring PTA teachers, provision of boreholes to villages, construction of a First-Aid Post and employment of nurses, support to vocational training and many others
At the end of the exercise, community members expressed satisfaction for the project, which they said will revive their community forest. “The exercise was eye opening and a symbol of hope for us. It will boost community development, and we will do all in our power to make this succeed once the models are financed,” Etinde FMO promised.
Meanwhile the youth’s representative of the Bimbia Bonadikombo promised to organize the youths to be fully involved in the activities of the upcoming enterprise. The Bimbia Bonadikombo CF and Etinde CF are found in the Fako Division of the South West Region Cameroon.
By Henrietta Kilang