OUR PROJECTS

Environment and Food Foundation (E2F), is currently running 5 programs simultaneously, geared towards the conservation and management of our natural blue planet earth.
They include:

COLLECTION AND VALORIZATION OF MARINE PLASTICS WASTE (CLOSING THE LOOP INITIATIVE)

Plastic waste management is a huge issue in Africa and Cameroon is not an exception. In 2017 the city of Douala produce more than 20,000 tons of plastic waste daily of which less than 2% was collected and less than 1% recycled. Urbanization, increase production of plastics from breweries companies and inadequate plastic waste management facilities is leading to increased plastics ending up in the natural environment in Cameroon. Environment and Food Foundation (E2F) seeks to collect and recycle plastic waste with a traceable social and environmental impact. Our innovative approach seeks to strengthen the plastic supply and value chains, create new jobs, as well as relieve Cameroon from plastics pollution.
The main components of this program include:

Collection:

We collect PET, HDPE, LDPE, plastics through our network of informal collectors and also by organizing cleanup events on a regular bases. We provide our volunteers with personal protective gears (equipments) during our cleanup events and collection.

Transportation:

Collected plastics (PET, HDPE, LDPE) are transported to the recycling factory

Storage:

The sorted and washed plastics are stored in the factory.

Processing (both mechanically and chemically):

Raw plastics are processed into flakes and PET straps after getting sorted, washed, extruded and pelletised. The plastics is also recycled into paving tiles (eco-bricks) and other products. We also reuse the collected plastic bottles to construct eco-friendly products like eco-benches, eco-chairs, eco-tables, bulb coverings and among others.

"LET'S PUT OUR HANDS TOGETHER TO WORK FOR A CLEANER AND HEALTHIER BLUE PLANET"

PARTICIPATORY CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF MANGROVES FORESTS ECOSYSTEMS
IN DOUALA-EDEA NATIONAL PARK, CAMEROON

The Douala-Edea national park is the first and only marine-terrestrial national park in Cameroon. The park covers 300,000ha with 200,000ha made of mangrove forest ecosystems harbouring important wildlife species such as elephants, chimpanzees and threatened black colobus monkeys (Colobus santanas). The marine ecosystem makes up about 100,000ha and consists of assemblages of fisheries and threatened marine fauna which include sea turtles, crocodiles, marine mammals, mangrove forests and freshwater habitats harbour species such as West African manatees.
The national park is a birdlife refuge, with over 70 water birds documented over the years. Rare species such as the lesser flamingo and black-winged pratincole are present, in addition to many migrant species such as the open bill stork that uses the rich wetlands as an important stopover during routine annual migrations.
Main threats to this biodiversity rich nature park are:

Habitat degradation and forest fragmentation primarily from activities of agro industries and petroleum exploration companies, Unsustainable exploitation of mangroves as fuel wood for fish smoking by commercial fish trade, Hunting and bush meat trade, Operations of various extractive companies and construction of large dams leading to incalculable biodiversity loss both for marine and terrestrial ecosys.

E2F's main activities to contribute to reduce these alarming threats are:

Environmental education and awareness raising in schools and communities.
Development of alternative livelihoods for local population (hunters and fish smokers).
Promotion of agroforestry in the area.
Mangroves plants replanting in degraded areas.
Collection of marine plastic waste from the beaches in the area
Development and promotion of ecotourism in the area.

"LET 'S PUT OUR HANDS TOGETHER TO WORK FOR OUR MANGROVES, OUR FUTURE"

BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION THROUGH COMMUNITIES PARTICIPATION IN LAKE OSSA
WILDLIFE RESERVE, CAMEROON

The Lake Ossa wetland complex (including Grand Lac Ossa, Mwembe and Mevia) covers an water body of about 4,000 ha and numerous islets, making it the largest natural lake in Cameroon. It is located in Dizangue, in the Sanaga-Maritime division, littoral region of Cameroon. Lake Ossa wetland is a marine protected site with a great biodiversity of many wildlife species including 80 families of fishes, snakes, lizards, marine turtles, crocodiles, migratory birds, vulnerable African manatees the most charismatic species in the lake. Lake Ossa represents 90 % of the Lake Ossa Wildlife Reserve which was established in 1968.

This protected area needs an efficient management plan to ensure proper use of natural resources and to mitigate the main threats posed by overfishing, poaching, deforestation, erosion, sedimentation, landslides, eutrophication and the invasive Salvinia plant in the lake.

E2F's main activities aimed at saving the lake Ossa wildlife reserve include:

Manually and mechanically remove invasive salvinia plant from the lake.
Strengthen the capacity of all stakeholders involved including (fishermen, students, eco-guards, etc).
Promote agroforestry in the lake Ossa wildlife reserve by planting native trees along the banks of the lake.
Develop alternative livelihoods for fishermen that will eliminate primary reliance on the Lake.
Run ecotoxicology study/research on the water quality of the lake Ossa (evaluate and study the physical, chemical and biological parameters of the lake).
Promote and develop ecotourism in the lake Ossa wildlife reserve.

Collection of Salvinia Molesta in Lake Ossa, Cameroon

COLLECTION AND VALORIZATION OF ABANDONED, LOST OR OTHERWISE DISCARDED
FISHING GEARS (ALDFGs) ALONG THE COAST OF CAMEROON

This program is designed to identify and tackle the problems of ghost gear (lost fishing nets) and other related threats to marine life in Cameroon. The program runs with a grand strategy of Prevention, Mitigation, and Cure of Abandoned, Lost, Discarded Fishing Gears (ALDFGs). This strategy cuts across the program components which includes; Community engagement, Research and Development, the collection point, Onshore/Offshore recovery of ghost gears, Dive-for-Data program, Community Stakeholders Workshop, and Craft workshops.

These strategies combined through harnessing collaboration with government and other relevant stakeholders on policy development and standard practice will help address the overall goal of the problem which also includes creating economic frontiers for coastal communities while reducing the occurrence of ALDFGs in our oceans, amongst others.

E2F BLUE WOMEN EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME

E2F Blue Women empowerment program has as goal to scale into a contagious movement for women's environmental leadership benefitting people, wildlife, and ecosystems across Cameroon, the continent of Africa and then around the world. We aim to provide women environmental lovers with the necessary skills, expertise and resources required in order to permit them to champion the most alarming environmental threats nowadays.

E2F Blue Women empowerment programme envisions to sparked a movement of women leaders in Africa and beyond, who are role modelling a more inclusive and impactful way to do conservation. By delivering transformational and deeply African leadership experiences. E2F Blue women seeks to make a tangible contributions to the sustainability and wellbeing of women leaders and ecosystems. E2F Blue Women wants to be a hope for the future, locally and globally.