Transcript Nigeria
Chief Edwin Ogar
Ekuri Initiative, Nigeria: Community
Based Benefits Sharing from the Ekuri
Community Forest, Nigeria.
Community Based Benefits Sharing from the
Ekuri Community Forest, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria is a populated country with
about 170 million people, 250
languages and consist of 36 States
and one is Cross River State
Nigeria has five types of ecological
zones
Mangrove
Tropical forest
Savannah
Semi arid zone
Arid
Cross River State Map
Cross River state has 18
Local Government Areas
(LGAs) with three types of
Ecological Zones:
Mangrove
Tropical forest
Savannah
Ekuri Community
Ekuri community
• Consist of Old Ekuri and New Ekuri villages and is
situated in tropical forest eco-zone
• Sandwich between Ukpon Forest Reserve and
Cross River National Park, Iko Esai and Okokori,
Etara/Eyeyeng community forests to W and NE.
• Belong to Nkukoli tribe and speaks Lokoli.
• Predominantly are peasant farmers and forest
gatherers
• Population of 6,000
• Joint owners of the rich biological diverse Ekuri
community forest 33,600ha
• Conceived the idea of community forestry in 1982
• Started formal community forestry in 1992 and
established the Ekuri Initiative as an NGO with
focus on conservation, sustainable forest
management, community development and
poverty reduction.
• Generated incomes from the forest, other internal
income sources and grants.
Benefits sharing from Ekuri community forest
• Community facilities, individuals, neighbours,
government and the global community
Community Facilities
• Construction of a 40km dirt road, all culverts and
bridges to both Ekuri villages
• Part funding of a health centre
• Equipment and furnishing of the health centre
• Building of a six classroom and furnishing
• Refurbishment of classroom building and
furnishing.
• Building of a civic centre
• Maintenance of facilities
• Vehicle to ease evacuation of forest and farm
products to markets.
• Availability of forest resources
• Inclusive community forest governance
• Local, national and international recognition of
activities
• Proceeds from timber harvesting by the Ekuri
Initiative
• Deepen the preservation of traditions and culture
• Pragmatic and sustainable activities
Community Facilities
Community Facilities
Benefits to individuals:
• Skills development of youths and women in prioritized
areas
• Literacy improvements/awards of scholarships
• Farm inputs to farmers
• Micro-credit scheme
• Health subsidy for the vulnerable
• Wood subsidy
• Seed capital – animal farming
• Jobs creation through adding value to farm products
• Regular incomes from NTFPs
• Availability of NTFPs to neighboring communities
• Water for downstream communities
• Health improvements through the use of herbs
• strengthening application of indigenous
knowledge.
• Improvements of knowledge in the community
• Reduction in poverty
• Improved social status of individuals
• Strong social coherence
Individual Benefits
Individual Benefits
Individual Benefits
Government
Permit fees – timber and NTFPs
Contributions to CBD, UNFCCC
Global community:
Climate change mitigation
Others environmental services – water, air,
stabilization of the soil and erosion control,
biodiversity etc.
How benefits sharing for individuals are
implemented in Ekuri Community.
• Eleven Etuoh (maternal lineages) exist
• Each Etuoh selects and forward names of
beneficiaries to each Ekuri village
• Equitable benefits sharing among Etuoh
• Promotes social cohesion devoid of external divide
and rule
• Considerably enhanced sustainability
• Ekuri villagers inalienable rights to use of
NTFPs/herbs.
Challenges:
• Some unsatisfied persons clamoring for more benefits
• Propensity by some for more benefits sharing for
individuals against capital projects.
• Interest of few to log the forest individually for self gains.
• illegal forest lease of this forest
• Logging moratorium since 2008
• Un-sustained supports from outside
• Threat of encroachments by 2 community neighbors.
• High maintenance costs of vehicle due to old age
• Poverty
How these are resolved or addressed:
General Assembly (GA) of the Ekuri Initiative
• Prioritized needs as approved by the GA are
implemented or reviewed.
• Convention of Nkukoli nation
• Court cases/supreme sacrifice by the six
• Looking inward for sustainability of activities
• Peer to peer conservation in neighboring
communities.
END
SHIEMORE (Thank you in Lokoli)
C/o NGOCE,
65 Ndidem Usang Iso Road,
Calabar – Cross River State,
Nigeria.
Phone: +234 803 546 1507
E-mail: [email protected]
www.ekuriinitiative.org