By Ngalame Elias
Cameroon is at the heart of Central Africa home to the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest. The Congo Basin vast ecosystem, a biodiversity hotspot and vital carbon sink helps regulate the global climate. It also sustains the livelihoods of millions of people across the region. Yet, despite its global importance, this rich forest remains one of the least reported regions in international environmental journalism. Complex issues such as Forest governance, deforestation, biodiversity loss or Indigenous rights are often overlooked or reduced to simplified narratives.
In this context, environmental journalism and especially reporting on forest governance issues play a critical role. It brings depth, accuracy, and local perspectives into public debate as Journalists help raise awareness, hold leaders accountable, and give a voice to communities living in and around the forests. When reporting is informed and grounded in evidence, it can shape perceptions, influence decision-making and prompt action at local, national and global levels.
It is against this backdrop that a one day training workshop was organized July 18,2026 at Victoria Guest House Hotel, Limbe, by CODEC Cameroon and ECO-OUTLOOK Media within the framework of the Earth Journalism Network’s Forest Governance Media Initiative (FGMI), focused on improving journalists’ understanding of Cameroon’s updated July 2024 Forestry and Wildlife Law and their role in promoting responsible environmental reporting.
The training brought together some 21 journalists and forestry experts who examined the provisions of the 2024 revised forestry and wildlife legislation , thematic issues on the law, forest governance content creation for the media, methodology in environment and climate change reporting and tips in pitching environment related articles.
The initiative accordingly aims to prepare media professionals to produce impactful reports on forest governance thematic issues over the coming months.
The workshop training and content production project implemented by CODEC Cameroon and ECO-OUTLOOK Media, is being funded by Earth Journalism Network and Ajemalebu Self-Help (AJESH) with technical support from African Resilience Institute (ARI).
Opening the workshop, the Southwest regional delegate of forestry and wildlife who represented the government, Christian Manga-Bell Epie explained that the updated Forestry and wildlife law represents a significant milestone in Cameroon’s environmental governance and enjoined journalists to have a mastery of vital elements of the document to better relay the information to the population.
For CODEC CEO, Aminateh Nkemngu, Journalists are not simply conveyors of information. In Cameroon in particular and the Congo Basin in general, where millions of people depend directly on forests for their livelihoods, careful, evidence-based reporting can shape public understanding, influence policy debates and support more sustainable approaches to managing natural resources.
“This initiative is about more than communication,” said Aminateh.
“By strengthening journalists’ capacity, we are supporting more accurate and impactful reporting that can contribute to real change in forest governance issues in Africa,” he said.
Ajemalebu Self-Help (AJESH)with technical support from African Resilience Institute (ARI).
On the training modules, Eugene Nforngwa, ARI CEO, looked at “ Forest and Global Environmental and Climate Challenges,” AJESH CEO Harrison Nnoko, drilled journalists on
“ Aligning OECMs to the forestry and Wildlife legislation in Cameroon; Strengthening the capacity of journalists and civil society organisations on forest governance and other effective conservation measures,(OECMs). AJESH Programme Officer Agbor James Ayamba examined the thematic provisions of the new legislation and its significance for forest governance.
Publisher of Eco-Outlook Newspaper, Ntungwe Ngalame Elias, guided journalists on effective methodologies for reporting forest governance and climate change, highlighting story ideas and reporting angles capable of driving meaningful public discourse.
Freelance Reporter and Editor Amindeh Blaise Atabong concluded the technical sessions with practical guidance on generating story ideas, developing winning pitches and producing compelling environmental content.
Moderated by Taryang Tabe, publisher of The Advocate Newspaper, the workshop interactive session permitted participants to better understand both thematic issues of the new law as well as environment related content creation articles.
For some participants, the training marked a turning point.
“I have always been very interested in green journalism, but never had the opportunity to cover it,” one journalist said.
“This training came at the right time to give me the hands-on skills I need to start reporting effectively on climate and forest governance issues.”
For Environment experts,Environmental reporting demands both technical understanding and ethical responsibility, particularly in regions where forests are central to livelihoods and identity.
“Strengthening journalists’ ability to interpret and convey environment information, especially the law, is therefore a crucial part of improving how environmental issues are discussed in the public sphere,” AJESH CEO Harrison Nnoko said.
