Forest Peoples Programme Protecting and encouraging customary use of biological resources by the Baka in the west of the Dja Biosphere Reserve Contribution to the implementation of Article 10(c) of the Convention on Biological Diversity Belmond Tchoumba and John Nelson with the collaboration of Georges Thierry Handja, Stephen Nounah, Emmanuel Minsolo and Bitoto Gilbert Mokomo Dieudonné Abacha Samuel Djala Luc Movombo Benjamin Alengue Ndengue Djampene Pierre Ndo Joseph Assing Didier Etong Mustapha Ndolo Samuel Claver Evina Reymondi Nsimba Josue Ati Majinot Mama Jean-Bosco Onanas Thomas Atyi Jean-Marie Megata François Sala Mefe Sylvestre Biango Felix Megolo Ze Thierry Protecting and encouraging customary use of biological resources by the Baka in the west of the Dja Biosphere Reserve Contribution to the implementation of Article 10(c) of the Convention on Biological Diversity Belmond Tchoumba and John Nelson with the collaboration of: Georges Thierry Handja, Stephen Nounah, Emmanuel Minsolo and Abacha Samuel Mama Jean-Bosco Alengue Ndengue Megata François Assing Didier Claver Megolo Bonaventure Ati Majinot Mokomo Dieudonné Atyi Jean-Marie Movombo Benjamin Biango Felix Ndo Joseph Bissiang Martin Ndolo Samuel Bitoto Gilbert Nsimba Josue Djala Luc Onanas Thomas Djampene Pierre Sala Mefe Sylvestre Etong Mustapha Ze Thierry Evina Reymondi This project was carried out with the generous support of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS) and the Novib-Hivos Biodiversity Fund © Forest Peoples Programme & Centre pour l’Environnement et le Développement Revised June 2006 French version: Protéger et encourager l’usage coutumier des ressources biologiques par les Baka à l’ouest de la Réserve de biosphère du Dja Contribution à la mise en oeuvre de l’article 10(c) de la Convention sur la diversité biologique Map on cover: Map of forest resource use by the Baka and Bantu communities of Nkolmbembe, Mimbil, Mekas and Nkoungoulou Photographs: CED and FPP Maps: CED and FPP Protecting and encouraging customary use of biological resources by the Baka in the Dja Biosphere Reserve The creation of protected areas for the purpose of conserving nature (such as national parks or nature reserves) may turn out to be more disastrous for an indigenous community than the opening of a logging site, or similar to the construction of a dam. In fact, a community which had hitherto lived freely on a land from which it drew all its livelihood resources, may suddenly be deprived of the latter, robbed of its land or displaced to unknown lands. Traditional activities are compatible with the maintenance of the forest cover and a diversity of wildlife: we should not forget that the state of current equatorial ecosystems is the result of human activities. There is no virgin forest in the strict sense of the word. Serge Bahuchet Tchoumba and Nelson i June 2006 Protecting and encouraging customary use of biological resources by the Baka in the Dja Biosphere Reserve Acronyms CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CED Centre pour l’Environnement et le Développement CEFDHAC Conference on Central African Moist Forest Ecosystems COP Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity DGIS Department for International Co-operation of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs ECOFAC Central African Forest Ecosystems EDF European Development Fund FPP Forest Peoples Programme GIS Geographic Information Systems GPS Global Positioning System IUCN World Conservation Union MINFOF Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife MINEF Ministry of the Environment and Forestry NBSAP National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization WWF World Wide Fund for Nature WCS Wildlife Conservation Society Tchoumba and Nelson ii June 2006 Protecting and encouraging customary use of biological resources by the Baka in the Dja Biosphere Reserve Contents Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... 2 Executive Summary.................................................................................................................... 3 1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 4 2 The indigenous peoples of Cameroon ........................................................... 6 3 The Baka peoples of Canton Dja.................................................................... 8 3.1 Administrative organisation.......................................................................................... 8 3.2 Detailed description of each village .............................................................................. 9 3.3 Socio-cultural organisation ..........................................................................................13 3.4 Beliefs and rites ............................................................................................................14 3.5 Ritual practices.............................................................................................................14 4 Customary use of biological resources .........................................................16 4.1 Baka forest typology .....................................................................................................16 4.2 Weather and the seasons..............................................................................................16 4.3 Key activities of the Baka in the Canton of Dja............................................................17 4.4 Community maps by the Baka from Mekas................................................................ 26 4.5 Territory, land rights, and right of access to natural resources...................................31 5 Conservation policies and practices and indigenous peoples ...................... 33 6 Conclusion.................................................................................................. 35 7 Recommendations...................................................................................... 37 8 Bibliography............................................................................................... 38 9 Notes .......................................................................................................... 39 Tchoumba and Nelson 1 June 2006 Protecting and encouraging customary use of biological resources by the Baka in the Dja Biosphere Reserve Acknowledgements This report is the outcome of collaborative work between CED, FPP and indigenous Baka experts and some Baka communities situated in the western part of the Dja Biosphere Reserve in the South of Cameroon. We extend our gratitude to all those who took part in the preparation and publication of this report. We owe a great deal to all the Baka communities of the research site who shared their traditional knowledge regarding the management of biological diversity in the Dja Reserve. In particular, we thank: Abacha Samuel, Alengue Ndengue, Assing Didier Claver, Ati Majinot, Atyi Jean- Marie, Biango Felix, Bissiang Martin, Bitoto Gilbert, Djala Luc, Djampene Pierre, Etong Mustapha, Evina Reymondl, Mama Jean-Bosco, Megata François, Megolo Bonaventure, Mokomo Dieudonné, Movombo Benjamin, Ndo Joseph, Ndolo Samuel, Nsimba Josue, Onanas Thomas, Sala Mefe Sylvestre, and Ze Thierry. We hope that policy-makers and managers of this important protected area shall take into consideration the recommendations of this report when planning or managing this area, which is the very home of these peoples. We are grateful to CED for making their staff available for the successful implementation and completion of this work. We refer particularly to Belmond Tchoumba, Georges Thierry Handja, Stephen Nounah, Gérôme Tamo and Emmanuel Minsolo. The technical assistance received from FPP through John Nelson was invaluable, and we are very grateful to him. Above all, our thanks go to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS) and the Novib-Hivos Biodiversity Fund for their financial support. Were it not for their support, this work would not have been possible. Tchoumba and Nelson 2 June 2006 Protecting and encouraging customary use of biological resources by the Baka in the Dja Biosphere Reserve Executive Summary This report summarises a case study of community forest use prepared by the Cameroon NGO the Centre for Environment and Development (CED) and the UK-based Forest Peoples Programme (FPP). The case study was prepared in collaboration with Baka and Bantu people living and working in and around Mekas, located on the western side of the Dja Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site. The case study describes the Baka peoples’ customary use of biological diversity and analyses the extent to which conservation policies and practices protect their rights and interests. The report makes recommendations for an improved incorporation of these peoples’ traditional practices in biodiversity conservation strategies, in particular those of the Dja Biosphere Reserve. At the centre of this case study are four Baka communities who have mapped their use of their forests using Geographical Information Systems. The study also outlines the local administrative and socio-political context as well as Baka beliefs and rituals. It then summarises their principal forest activities. The main activities mentioned in the case study, and recorded in the community forest-use maps presented on pages 27-30, include hunting and trapping, fishing, gathering and agriculture. In particular,