Tano-Ankasa Community Forest Project
Sustainable Livelihoods Programme
and Green Value Chains
Since 2017, WAPCA has been working in partnership with French NGO Man & Nature, who are well versed in developing sustainable livelihoods and green value chains. The overall aim of this component is three-fold:
1) to create an holistic approach to conservation whereby we recognize not only the conservation needs of the primates but the socio-economic needs of the communities
2) to promote good agricultural practices to reduce farm expansion into the forest
3) to create a benefit sharing mechanism to support individual farmers, communities and conservation activities thereby becoming independent of any outside unsustainable aid.
Organic Coconut Oil Green Value Chain:
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To implement this GVC, WAPCA is working with private sector company Savannah Fruits Company (SFC), who already produce organic coconut oil in their processing centre near our project area.
Since no chemicals are used in the growing of coconut trees, we were able to train and certify the farmers within the year.
Contracts were signed between SFC and the farmer groups and by the end of 2018, the farmers were supplying organic coconuts to the SFC processing centre at a premium rate.
In addition to the organic certification we are also working to obtain a Fair For Life certification which would mean the communities would receive a Development Fund to support community projects such boreholes, toilet blocks and so on. In order to manage this fund, a Coconut Development Committee has been initiated and a steering group has been put in place to draft a constitution for the Committee.
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It has also been agreed that SFC will pay extra for every coconut received which will contribute to a conservation fund to support activities such as patrolling and reforestation, which WAPCA currently fund.
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The goal is for CREMA to have three newly-built virgin organic coconut oil processing centres that will generate additional incomes for farmers and create job opportunities for women. The first centre was completed in Ellenda, in 2020. Click here to read more.
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Organic Cocoa Green Value Chain:
A feasibility study for establishing organic cocoa farms was completed during 2018 and interested farmers registered. Private sector company Yayra Glover, the same company conducting the feasibility study, was selected to continue with the organic cocoa green value chain. Cocoa farms in our project area have historically used chemicals to improve their yield, and due to this common practice, certification takes three years to obtain.
Over the three years, trained staff carry out constant monitoring and auditing - both internally and externally - and an extension officer was appointed in a permanent role within the project area.
Once certified, the farmers receive a premium for their organic cocoa and an agreement is being prepared with Yayra Glover to to pay a conversion premium to the farmers until they become organic and also contribute to the Conservation Fund.
