cobam-2013-cameroon-briefing-1a58a69eb754bb90.pdf

This briefing note presents the results of a baseline vulnerability assessment conducted between 2011 and 2012 in the Tri-National de la Sangha (TNS) landscape, specifically focusing on four community forests in Cameroon. Part of the COBAM project, the study used participatory methods to analyze how climate-related disturbances, such as erratic rainfall and shifting seasons, affect local livelihoods, agriculture, and forest resources, while identifying opportunities to strengthen adaptive capacity through livelihood diversification and improved collective action.

• Villagers in the TNS landscape report significant ecological and social changes since the 1970s, noting that competition for land and forest resources has degraded forests and increased livelihood fragility as populations grow and rainfall patterns become more uncertain.
• The primary climate-related disturbances identified by local communities include strong winds and changes in seasons, specifically prolonged dry and wet seasons, unexpected dry spells during the wet season, and erratic rainfall during the dry season.
• Agriculture is the most exposed activity to climate disturbances, with shifting seasons and unpredictable rainfall negatively impacting food security and the local economy. To maintain production levels despite lower productivity, villagers have expanded the area of agricultural land, increasing pressure on other natural resources.
• Climate variability has indirect health consequences, particularly for children, who experience stomach problems during water scarcity periods when they are forced to drink from rivers.
• While agriculture is highly vulnerable, non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are generally less affected by seasonal changes, with the exception of mushrooms, and serve as critical safety nets during periods of stress.
• Local adaptive capacity is supported by livelihood diversification across agriculture, NTFP collection, logging, hunting, and mining, with cacao, cassava, and plantain serving as primary income sources. However, collective action to maintain social infrastructure is described as weak.
• Proposed strategies to strengthen adaptive capacity include the cultivation and improved commercialization of NTFPs, the introduction of alternative livelihoods such as apiculture and aquaculture, and the improvement of agricultural yields to reduce the need for forest expansion.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (n.d.). cobam-2013-cameroon-briefing-1a58a69eb754bb90.pdf. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/cobam-2013-cameroon-briefing.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. cobam-2013-cameroon-briefing-1a58a69eb754bb90.pdf. n.d. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/cobam-2013-cameroon-briefing.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=cobam-2013-cameroon-briefing-1a58a69eb754bb90.pdf |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/cobam-2013-cameroon-briefing.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitutendcobam2013cameroonbriefing1a58a69eb754bb90pdf, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{cobam-2013-cameroon-briefing-1a58a69eb754bb90.pdf}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/cobam-2013-cameroon-briefing.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }