Environmental non-government organisation (NGO), DEVCON-PADIC-Afria, has wrapped up a two-year project by empowering women and other community members in Cross River State in bee farming and creation of cooperatives.
The project, which was implemented by DEVCON PADIC-Africa, a community-based organisation rooted in most communities in the state, got its funding from international donors like Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA).
Executive Director of the organisation, Dr. Martins Egot, on Monday, January 20, 2925, during a two-day Project Lessons Sharing workshop held at Iko Esai community in Odukpani local government council titled “Ensuring Iko Esai Community Forest Management Strategy” said the project has achieved its aim by improving the livelihood of forest communities especially women.
Egot, who expressed satisfaction on how the project has impacted positively on the community, said the two outstanding activities that solidified the project so far was the establishment of eco-guards and the bee farming, noting that it was exciting for the beneficiaries and the organisation.
“The community is interesting; they contributed a lot by cooperating with us in making decisions and their zeal and enthusiasm is really encouraging. I can proudly say that the project met their expectations, and they are happy that the project came this far.
“There are two outstanding activities that solidified the project, one is the eco-guards, which inspected the community roads and forest governance, the people are happy about it, and the second activity is bee farming.
“It is exciting for us and for them, the bee hives are flourishing and we are all expecting to get honey from them in a few months and sell them. Another important activity is the cooperative group for women. We need to upscale these activities for the nearest future,” Egot expressed.
On their part, the two resource persons, Wildlife Conservative Society’s (WCS) Mr. Tony Attah and the Director, Cross River State Eco-Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Mr. Clement Omina, advised the beneficiaries of the project to use the skills to generate income through forest management and at the same time protect the forest from deforestation.
Omina charged them to appreciate and showcase their heritage by identifying natural resources that are not known to the world especially the state government, stating that this would attract donor agencies and government support to the area.
The community members expressed gratitude for what they described as knowledge of wealth received in the past two years since the beginning of the project.
Speaking on behalf of women, Akon Ekpe commended the organisation for bringing the project to the people in the grassroot.
She said the community women have improved their livelihood from all the empowerment ranging from bee farming that produces honey, raising of nurseries of indigenous tree species and creation of cooperative groups for the women.
By Stina Ezin