Alternative income is solution to deforestation - environmentalists

Promoters of forest conservation practices say the rate of deforestation would greatly reduce if alternative income sources are provided to the local communities.

These communities will gain more money and improve their lives if they are trained and made to carry out profitable beekeeping, agro forestry, ecotourism and the making and using of fuel efficient stoves.

In a two day workshop to build the capacities of some 30 community leaders in the Mt Cameroon forest area on these income generating activities, Fongoh Eric, the Coordinator of International Centre for Environmental Education and Community Development, ICENECDEV, said this is one of the best solutions to deforestation.

According to the conservation promoter ones members of the communities know that they will gain more through conservation, they will actively fight against deforestation in their communities.

“These participants will acquire skills in income generating activities. This will enable them to reduce the rate of environmental degradation. These stoves, agro forestry, ecotourism skills are alternative means of income generation to the local communities”, Fongoh Eric told the press at the end of the two day workshop.

Some of the participants expressed satisfaction that the practical lessons learn will help them to train members of their community. In this way they said the information and practical skills on how to generate income will divert locals from over exploiting the forests that are already threatened.

Representing the African Eurasian Migratory Water Bird Agreement, AEWA, Evelyn Parh Moloko, said 33 African countries are members of the organization whose aim is to promote biodiversity. According to the Coordinator of the AEWA African Initiative, “members benefit from the organization as it contributes to biodiversity which in turn makes the country a tourist destination site that will also yield income to the government and the local communities”.

Being a member of the organization, she said places the country at the heart of intimate discussions on biodiversity thus exploring more ways of preserving biodiversity that attracts tourists to local communities and bring in more income.