According to FAO estimates, 26% or 3.4 billion hectares of surface emerged the world’s land is forested. Developing countries have the majority of tropical forests and these forests are a little more than half of the global forest area. Many species of tropical forests, in fact, contributed to the development of world agriculture. Due to the many environmental, social, bio-climatic, political and especially economic which they are subject, tropical forests are highly sensitive areas that must now be exploited taking into account all aspects.

Thus, the conference of the land that was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 whose main message was noted that any development must be economically viable, socially equitable and environmentally acceptable, and has promoted aaccéléréde deep changes in institutions that were still in the laboratory, the laws and regulations in the management of forests in Cameroon.

Furthermore, the rights of local people to benefit biodiversity on their traditional lands have been the subject of international discussions under the CBD and other international bodies. Thus in 1994, the President of the Republic of Cameroon promulgates No. 94/01 of 20 January 1994 to lay down forestry, wildlife and fisheries, which certainly has 5 years of gestation. In December 2004 created the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife resulting from the bursting of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. These two major changes were intended to improve the sustainable management of forest resources and biodiversity.

Cameroon has served as a laboratory for reform of forest laws in the countries of the Congo Basin. The guidelines adopted by the Cameroon thus inspired neighboring countries.

However the 94/01 showed many shortcomings where a reform project is currently engaged. The reform of legislation aimed at solving the problems identified in the society in which it applies. This is to adapt the new law in a dynamic environment, to ensure that social developments are taken into account continuously. Reform is built from solutions to problems identified in advance, and thus reflects the vision that the government has the sector that the new law should be framed. The revision of the law is not only a technical company. It is above all political, in that it should be the expression of the government’s guidelines for forest management. The reform introduced through the new forest law provides several mechanisms of involvement of local communities in forest management in order to guarantee a right of use and enjoyment of natural resources. These mechanisms are a kind of compensation granted by the state to these populations.

The social component, today has become a key component of forest management and device elleoccupe an important place in the legal order. This taking into account the realities and social needs is expressed in terms of participatory management, respect for the right of use and contribution to social welfare.

The success of forest management for sustained timber production depends largely on its own compatibility with the interests of local populations.

Since the 1960s, the SEFAC group has established itself as a major player logging in Southeast Cameroon region. He acquired over time a recognition of its action in the social field, this in the context of logging more arrested for the quality of its management with respect to forest resource sustainability issues and its cohabitation with indigenous and local communities.

In addition to complying with certification standards, the group has SEFAC fulfill all legal requirements and respect the various conventions in line with a strategy of sustainable use of forest resources.

This report is part of a set of activities performed annually to assess sustainable management measures already in place and to make proposals for strengthening continue to remain a responsible corporate humanly, socially respectful of indigenous peoples and their living environment. It reports the results of a socio-economic survey conducted during 2014 around the FMUs SEFAC group and in its industrial sites.

Read the full report: DROITS DES PEUPLES BAKA DANS LA CONSERVATION DES RESSOURCES FORESTIERES : CAS DU GROUPE SEFAC A LIBONGO (FRA)