CIFOR-ICRAF upgrades skills of local researchers on scientific studies.

This was the focus of a capacity building workshop held Thursday, March 5, in Yaounde. 

The workshop was part of a research project Research on Ecology and Social Science, RESSAC. The event brought together researchers and experts. It was aimed at strengthening skills in research writing, publication processes and global academic engagement. 

The research project was led by a consortium consisting of the Center for Research for the Environment, Development and Indigenous Peoples in Africa, CREDPAA, the Council of Lolodorf, and the Catholic University of Louvain, UCL.

Officials said the RESSAC project funded by the European Union, is a research programme in ecology and social sciences initiated in December 2022. The project seeks to conduct research, inform and assist in policy-making, and assist universities and researchers in Central Africa who face difficulties with global visibility. 

Senior Scientist at CIFOR-ICRAF, Richard Sufo Kankeu, told reporters that the goal of the project is to better understand the relationship that local communities, such as the Baka or the Bagyeli, have with the Bubinga tree. 

“We wanted to understand the role of the tree and how we can use the cultural activities surrounding Bubinga to conserve it,” Kankeu said. 

The Senior Scientist also disclosed that the project-initiated research activities to better understand the relationship between people and trees.

“At the conclusion of this research, we realised that the tree was in danger because it is highly coveted by industrial illegal loggers. We tried to find a way to census and identify these trees in the forest, so that each tree is conserved by a person and monitored to prevent them from being cut down,” he explained. 

Kankeu said it was also realised that the communities are “currently perishing because the tree is perishing”.

“Today, we realise that if the tree is not protected, the communities will disappear,” Kankeu stated, stressing that the CIFOR-ICRAF project’s role was to give the funding to local research institutions, train some local researchers to publish in good research journals and also be visible in international conferences.

Enter project coordinator

The Project Coordinator, Dr. Jean Nke Ndih, said it was noticed that the Bubinga was in danger in the Bipindi and Lolodorf areas. 

“We told ourselves it was useful and truly interesting to set up a project to preserve the species. We didn't commit to preserving the tree just for the sake of it, but much more because of the usefulness of this species to the populations,” he said.

He said one of the strengths of the project is that it managed to set up a nursery so that the Bubingas that were cut down or exploited fraudulently can be replaced. 

“Our ultimate goal is to have Bubingas in every village in the Centre and South regions…those were the two main regions of Cameroon where there was a lot of Bubinga and they were almost entirely cut down. Currently, we have about 500 in the nursery, which means we are on the right track with the objectives we set for ourselves,” Dr Nke Ndih said. 

Enhancing scientific expertise

Also speaking, the team leader for Environment and Sustainability at the European Union, EU Delegation in Cameroon, Stephen Peedell, noted that “the European Union works in the infrastructure, agro-industry, and forestry sectors. These local-level studies are essential. We must value knowledge and involve indigenous peoples and local communities to ensure an integrated approach for the sustainable management of natural resources”.

Peedell said Bubinga must be saved because it is at risk. 

“We need to understand the needs, the economic possibilities, and the cultural criteria involved. Science and research are required to provide the data needed for proper planning, and the data comes from indigenous people, the local communities and researchers here in Cameroon and the Congo Basin,” he continued.

Highlighting the objective of the training of the researchers, he stated it seeks to bring together researchers from across the region who previously haven't had the connection with researchers in Europe and elsewhere.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3727 of Tuesday March 10, 2026