By Ngalame Elias
AJEMALEBU SELF HELP AJESH in partnership with the Prime Ministry, MINFOF, MINEPDED, other sectoral ministries and stakeholders, with support from Cafi/KWF, PGIP-GM and the Jacobs Futura Foundation,held a validation workshop in Edea, 29-30 September 2026, on the draft decree establishing, categorising, and governing the functioning and management of Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) in Cameroon.
The workshop also saw the participation of the local communities and administrative authorities who form an integral part of biodiversity conservation efforts.
According to AJESH CEO, Harrison Nnoko, OECMs recognise areas outside formal protected areas that still deliver long-term biodiversity conservation, often through the stewardship of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.
“ A clear legal framework will help protect nature while valuing the communities who safeguard it, he said.
According to conservation experts, the new Global Biodiversity Management Framework states that at least 30% of land, inland water and coastal areas must be effectively conserved and sustainably managed.
But currently in Cameroon, only 21.71% are formally protected for biodiversity conservation.
It is against this backdrop that AJESH in partnership with officials of MINFOF, MINEPDED, other sectoral ministries and stakeholders met in a two day workshop in Edea, to validate the draft decree of OECMs and provide the guiding documents that will lead to the establishment, categorization, mapping of Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) in Cameroon.
“Together, we are building a stronger future for conservation in the country. Cameroon is a signatory of these international convention and need to contextualize these OECMs.
According to data tracked by the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Cameroon’s formally protected territory stands at roughly 21.71.%. In terms of strict terrestrial land mass, official World Bank and WDPA indicators place fully gazetted, national-level protected areas at around 11% of total land area, but this expands up to 19.2%–20% when incorporating broader permanent forest estates, wildlife sanctuaries, and faunal reserves.
While a fifth of the country being under protection is significant—making it one of the largest ecological networks in the Congo Basin, the real issue isn’t just the percentage on paper.
Conservationists point out several challenges like conomic initiatives frequently clashing with conservation, mining permits, agro-industrial zoning, and logging concessions overlap with nearly 15 major protected areas.
There are also challenges like funding deficits and limited ranger personnel making it incredibly difficult to police vast areas against poaching, illegal logging, and agricultural encroachment.
The draft decree on OECMs in Cameroon is also expected to take into account the interest of the local communities.
The officials say the document upon validation will be tabled for the final signature by the competent authority followed by its popularization.
Group Photo of workshop participants
Workshop sessions