Growing Diversity – West Africa

TITLE OF EXPERIENCE: Strategy for the management of wild fauna in the South of the Côte d’Ivoire

AUTHOR: Cooperative Vocation group (GVC) of the young people of Azaguié Mbromé, and Ecological Research Centre

COUNTRY AND REGION: Côte d’Ivoire, Azaguié

ECOLOGICAL ZONE: Dense humid forest

ABSTRACT

This pilot project was initiated with the aim of finding sustainable solutions to numerous deforestation problems in the south of Côte d’Ivoire, to the problems of poaching and the disappearance of certain animals and plants. Its aim is also socio-economic development alongside the protection of the biodiversity through the encouragement of revenue-creating activities, as well as the introduction of young people outside the school system to new agricultural techniques and unconventional animal rearing. Initially the project had targeted deer herding but had to be modified due to difficulties in obtaining animals. A number of different partners are involved in the project.

In this project, the agrosylvopastoral system used cosists of three sections - the agricultural section concerned with the cultivation of cassava, plantain and passiflora over 5 hectares, - the unconventional animal herding section with grasscutters (or cane rat) and giant red snails reared in especially made pens, the forestry section on a plot of land of 0.25 ha planted with trees for multiple purposes, animal feed, fertilisation of the soil, shade. This project helps reduce the pressure on the wild fauna caused by the local demand for meat from bush animals, and gives work to young people who are out of the school system.

CONTACT:

GVC d’Azaguié Mbromé S/C Centre de Recherche en Ecologie (CRE), 08 BP 109 – Abidjan 08 – COTE D’IVOIRE, Tél. 225 21 25 73 36 / 22 47 80 33 / 22 47 06 79 – Fax 225 21 25 73 36 / 22 47 80 33, Email : mtahoux@caramail.com