In most third word nations, Cameroon
inclusive, poverty and loss of biodiversity are intertwined in many ways. One
of such ways is the over-dependence of the rural poor on local natural
resources. This has brought stiff resistance on attempts to create awareness
and or education on biodiversity conservation.
This write-up is therefore meant to go
beyond the resistance, look beyond the frustrations of some local communities
and continue to create awareness, focusing on this all important subject matter
of biodiversity conservation. The fact remains that where purpose is not known,
abuse becomes inevitable; which brings to fore the expediency of letting people
especially those in local communities to understand the purpose of nature or
biodiversity conservation so that the wantom abuse in loss and degradation
which we see today, will be drastically reduced.
All living creatures including plants,
needs one another in diverse ways. The connection may not be very clear, but
the dependence is certain. Therefore Biodiversity
is about the diversity, the range of different living things and systems in an
area. The more plant, insect and animal
species there are in one area the greater the biodiversity and the healthier
the ecosystem. It is the ensemble of plant, animal
and micro-organism life on earth with their diversity in species, genes
including ecosystems, offering great opportunities for human wellbeing and
development.
Biodiversity predates time and season
and what we see today is as a result of many years of evolution. However, it is
unfortunate that the influence of humanity in excessive demand for land, over
exploitation or unsustainable use of natural resources, pollution, climate
variations and natural disasters has brought undue pressure on biodiversity,
disturbances to the environment, great threat to the planet and possible
degradation to natural ecosystems.
In Cameroon, biodiversity conservation
is of immense importance. Government places great value to it, and in a bid to
show commitment in protecting her natural resources base, Government of
Cameroon became signatory to major international conventions. Notably is the
Convention on Biodiversity which
provides the framework for global action on biodiversity with the objective to
ensure the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components
and the equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic
resources.
The Country’s vision for
biodiversity is part of her economic development emergence by 2035. It
specifies that by 2035, “a sustainable relationship with biodiversity is
established in its use and sharing of benefits to meet the development needs
and well-being of the people, and that ecosystem balance is preserved through
sector and decentralized mainstreaming with the effective participation of all
stakeholders including local communities”.
This vision influenced the adoption
of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan in 1999, which was revised in
May 2012. It set to reverse and halt the current trend in the loss of
biodiversity as a way to establish a strong nature base that is indispensable
for the growth of the nation’s economy and a better livelihood of its people.
Part of it aim at addressing the causes of biodiversity degradation/loss by
reducing the direct and indirect pressures on biodiversity.
To say that Cameroon is endowed with
rich biodiversity is stating the obvious. These diverse ecosystems are largely
representative of Africa’s ecosystems resulting in the reference to Cameroon as
Africa in miniature. The high degree of specie, genetic and ecosystem diversity
is of significant socio-economic, scientific, and medicinal importance to its
people. It improves its economy, significantly contributing to the wellbeing of
its people. The current trend in biodiversity in Cameroon shows biodiversity as
among the most diverse in Africa in terms of variety, quantity, ecosystems and
genetic resources, and with a high degree of endemism. Within the African
Continent, Cameroon is fourth in floral richness and fifth in faunal diversity
and represents 92% of Africa’s ecosystems. Cameroon’s rich biodiversity
accommodates about 8300 plant species, 335 mammal species, 848 bird species,
542 fresh and brackish water fish species and 913 bird species. About nearly
half of the bird and mammal species of Africa are present in Cameroon forests.
Conserving
biodiversity means ensuring that natural landscapes, with their array of
ecosystems, are maintained, and that species, populations, genes, and the
complex interactions between them persist into the future. It is about saving
life on Earth in all ramifications and keeping natural ecosystems functioning
and healthy. As a scientific discipline, biodiversity conservation has grown
enormously over the past few decades and has increased our awareness and
understanding of the great extent to which humans depend on natural ecosystems
and biodiversity.
Biodiversity
conservation relies on a number of disciplines working together, including
ecology and other biological sciences, physical sciences like mathematics, and
the social sciences such as public policy and psychology.
Why
we need biodiversity is a question which encapsulates its importance and the
essence of its conservation. With more plants, trees and animals, the soil
improves and become stronger, less prone to erosion, drought and flooding. The
more biodiversity an area has, the healthier it is because it supports a large
number of animal and plant species. Genetic diversity increases species resilience and
adaptability to changing environmental conditions with opportunities for food
security, medicine and development of industry, while ecosystems in which
biodiversity constantly interacts, offer provisioning services of carbon
sequestration, plant pollination, watershed protection, enrichment and
maintenance of soil fertility, breakdown of waste and pollutants which are
essential for human survival.
The importance of biodiversity to the
environment, people and their welfare can not be over emphasized. Biodiversity
is necessary to maintain stable ecosystems. An ecosystem is a group of life
forms that live together in a balanced and stable community. If there is a
sudden change in that community’s environment, the balance of the community will
change which will negatively impact the ecosystem in that community.
Rainforests, for instance, contribute both to the process of soil formation and
help to regulate the climate through photosynthesis. Both produce oxygen and
absorb carbon dioxide. The destruction of rainforest causes erosion, loss of
valuable species and changes in climate. Wetlands act as sponge-like reservoirs
in dry weather and help to filter and purify water. Coral reefs and mangrove
swamps protect the land they surround by reducing the effects of erosion.
In Cameroon, the volcanic soils of
the South West and Littoral regions and its maritime influence and rich
mangroves account for luxuriant vegetations which harbour highly diversified
flora and fauna and support considerable agricultural, forestry and fishing
activities. The beauty of the wild life and landscape of the north and extreme
north regions are of high tourism value. The rich fauna and flora of the
aquatic and tropical forests of the Centre, South and East plateau are large
mass for carbon sink and attracts the wood industry.
People and individuals can appreciate the beauty of biodiversity
whether they are merely sitting and taking a garden view, watching animals play
around, listening to bird’s song or going for a walk in a wood. Human beings
like to live in varied natural environment with open spaces to walk and play
in, trees for shade, colourful flowers, clean water for swimming and paddling.
Human life and world could have been monotonous without nature. Our natural
world has inspired our imagination, and somehow influenced our arts over the
years.
Besides nature and environment,
conserving biodiversity also has an ethical inclination. Many people especially
in local communities feel indebted to nature and thus see it as a
responsibility to bequeath same nature or natural environment they have
enjoyed, to future generation. For example, some landscapes reflect community’s
history and contribute to their sense of belonging. Some has even argued with
emotive expression that plant and animal species themselves have their own
value and right to exist whether humans need them or not.
The importance of biodiversity equally
reflects on health and livelihoods because as the saying goes ‘health is
wealth’. Goods or natural resources provided
by a diversity of species significantly contribute to food security and health,
essential for local livelihoods. Modern researchers are looking more and
more towards natural biological resources, when developing new medicines. Many
animal and plant species have been useful in the past for finding new
treatments and cures. One of the most famous examples is digitalin which is
derived from the foxglove and is used to treat heart conditions. Another is
vincristine, taken from the rosy periwinkle of Madagascar and used to treat
childhood leukemia. Many more medicines have been derived from species found in
rainforest areas.
In
Cameroon, The medicinal properties of diverse
plant and animal species provide enormous health benefits. Plants and herbs
known in local parlance as “fever grass, masepo, muringa, guava leaves” has
been successfully used in the treatment of malaria/typhoid, stomach ache,
purgative, stomach cleansing, etc. The
nation’s biological and genetic resources constitute bedrock for food security
and health. In rural production of food and nutrition, about 80% of the rural
populations are engaged in biodiversity-driven activities on which their
livelihoods depend. It is also estimated that 80% of the rural population in
Cameroon depend on traditional medicine (source: IMPM Yaoundé, BHB Mutengene),
a practice that has lasted for over a century and quite common to the Central
and West African region. Here, inhabitants of biodiversity rich areas are
endowed with indigenous knowledge associated with plants and animals. It is possible
that many other species could hold the answer to future medical cures – so the
more species that are conserved, the more chance there is of discovering
something of medical value.
The realisation of these benefits and positive impacts of
biodiversity has increasingly established its relationship and role in
environmental sustainability, sustained economic growth and poverty
alleviation.
In facing today’s challenge of poverty alleviation and
promoting development in most developing Countries, including Cameroon,
biodiversity remains vital and its
conservation indispensable within Country’s vision for growth and
development. It stresses the link between development and wealth creation, and
therefore requires the efforts of all and sundry in sustained awareness
creation and for its preservation.
By : Godycreative
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