English - Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund

poverty. Key socio-economic indicators were selected and the current level in selected household
ascertain for future change monitoring.
Planned Short-term Impacts - 1 to 3 years (as stated in the approved proposal):
i. Improved capacity of CBOs to manage alternative livelihood interventions in Nimba.
ii. Improved understanding of temporal and spatial bushmeat hunting practices in and
around Sapo National Park.
iii. Sustainable alternative livelihood options identified for 3 communities around Sapo
National Park
Actual Progress Toward Short-term Impacts at Completion:
i. Improved capacity of CBOs to manage alternative livelihood interventions in Nimba.
The project phase under review started with the formulation of a strategic document that
identified information needs, capacity needs, and subsequent action points for the
consolidation and scaling up of animal-husbandry related livelihood activities as
alternatives to bushmeat hunting and trade. A capacity building program was then
developed with all concerned in order to strengthen the abilities of the CBOs to
implement and manage animal husbandary
All the CBOs around Nimba were assisted to develop bylaws and international rules and
regulations setting out in unambiguous terms the aims and objectives of each group, the
rights and obligations of each member and the group, and the rules governing the
group’s functioning bearing in mind that the primary aim is the protection of the
threatened wildlife on the Nimba Mountains. The legally binding instruments were all
validated by the local administration in line with the current legislation in Guinea
governing common initiative groups and the protection and management of wildlife
especially in critical habitats such as the Nimba Mountains with conflicting land use
practices and opportunities. A bank accounts operated by elected members were also
opened for each group and all have been encouraged to use it as much as possible,
either to deposit the group financial assets or to withdraw resources when needed for
specific activities in line with the bylaws and international rules and regulations.
Additional training was given to the members on how to carry out specific activities,
especially with cane rat husbandry which is new to the region and the hunters not used to
wild animals in the cages. The partnership established between the project and the
IRVAG the government institution in charge of research and extension of cane rat
farming proved to be extremely useful and specific members of the groups were training
in specific aspects of facility management, feeding, healthcare of the animals, breeding
strategy and crossing, etc. The experience gathered around the Guinea side of the
Nimba Mountain was shared with the Liberians during exchange visits.
The final but not the least important aspect of the project was the construction of key
infrastructures such as additional cane rate facilities to increase the breeding capacity of
the initiative. Two additional cane rat facilities were constructed and commissioned. Fish
farming activities were also expanded to N’Zoo and Tounkarata two other localities in the
Nimba region. So were also created a series of home gardens and community farms in
Lola, Bossou, Tounkara and N'Zoo to diversify the income of the different group
members and reduce their dependency on wild resource and encroachments on virgin
lands especially around the core protection areas of the Nimba world heritage site.