Cameroon

General Information

PROJECTS ACTIVE AND TIME OF INTERVENTION

BioInnovation Africa (BIA) - 07 /2019 – 06 / 2022

ABS Capacity Development Initiative - upon request of the regional GIZ COMIFAC project: 2007 – 03 / 2022

Why Cameroon?

Cameroon was chosen as one of the intervention countries of BioInnovation Africa and as a collaboration country for the ABS Initiative for several reasons. The so-called “Africa in miniature” comprises almost all major bio-geographical zones to be found in Africa and thus harbors an outstanding biodiversity. This and the high ethnic diversity have resulted in various traditional uses of the biological resources for medicinal, cosmetic, nutritional and even spiritual purposes. It is in this light that there has always been an increased interest of research and private sector in Cameroon's biodiversity.

Through bilateral support of UNDP and the BMZ funded regional GIZ project “Support for the Central African Forests Commission (COMIFAC)”, a legal framework for ABS has been developed and the first pilot ABS cases have been dealt with. With the ABS law awaiting its entry into force, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MINEPDED)  is dedicated to passing further pilot cases through the intended ABS procedure in order to gather additional experiences. Cameroon thus provides timely opportunities to work on ABS manuals, the IT-system and other mechanisms to channel benefits into biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.

The strategic focus of BMZ on environmental topics allows BioInnovation Africa to build on and profit from existing projects working on similar topics with the same political partners. The GIZ project "Protecting Forests and Environment", thus acts as administrative, technical and political anchor for the local structures of BioInnovation Africa while the regional GIZ COMIFAC project requests support of the ABS Initiative if needed.

Aims and objectives

ABS Capacity Development Initiative: The overall aim of the ABS Capacity Development Initiative’s work in Cameroon is to support the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol in all its dimensions.

Bio Innovation Africa has the following objectives in Cameroon: 

  • Requirements for implementation of the national regulations on Access and Benefit-sharing are improved
  • Mechanisms for using the benefit-sharing scheme for biodiversity conservation measures have been developed
  • Market potentials of selected biodiversity-based value chains are being used