Community mapping for effective land-use planning: Cameroon
Completed
From:
01/12/2015
To:
30/09/2017
Budget:
$750,000
Stakeholders:
Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and their organizations
Government ministries with responsibility for mapping, land tenure, natural resources, territorial planning and economic development
Traditional chiefs
Local councils
Companies and investors
Managers of protected areas
Non-governmental organisations advanced the land tenure security of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in Cameroon, building upon existing laws. With Tenure Facility support, a joint initiative of the Centre for Environment and Development (CED), Forest Peoples Programme (FPP), Rainforest Foundation United Kingdom (RFUK), and the consulting firm Rainbow Environment Consult developed, tested and worked with government to secure broad support for a standard methodology for participatory community mapping in Cameroon. The methodology lays important groundwork for explicit recognition of local community land and resource use rights and reduction of escalating land and resource conflicts in Cameroon. It can also help build more collaborative relations between government, civil society and the private sector. In the future it is hoped that training will mean that communities can develop the capacity to undertake mapping exercises without the direct support of NGOs, thus amplifying the success of this project.
To read a brief overview of Cameroon, click here.
For a timeline of land and forest rights in Cameroon, click here.
"There are many problems this approach can solve! The problems are there. We are working on this to forestall future problems and to avoid conflict. Thanks to all those who have made this dream come true. How do we carry this pilot forward? We must go all the way! This exercise is the salvation to avoid many conflicts between administrations."
- Chief Tanyi Robinson, National Council for Traditional Chiefs in Cameroon (CNCTC)
Project Overview
Developed, tested and achieved broad support for a standard methodology for participatory community mapping across different ecosystems and cultures that lays important groundwork for explicit recognition of community land —all in the space of 22 months.
Goal
Advance the land tenure security of local communities and indigenous peoples in Cameroon building upon existing laws.
Objectives
- Develop a common set of protocols for identifying and mapping community land use and tenure across Cameroon’s diverse social and ecological landscapes.
- Secure broad support and the adoption of common mapping protocols by government agencies responsible for the application of relevant land laws and ordinances, as well as the support of the landholders themselves, and key private sector operators, civil society actors and donors.
Actions
- Conduct a technical review of community mapping methodologies in Cameroon.
- Analyse Cameroon’s legislative requirements for community mapping.
- Develop a common mapping protocol and secure wide adoption.
- Package and disseminate a toolkit to support nationwide application.
Results
- The project developed a standard methodology for participatory community mapping in Cameroon and tested it in 25 communities and five regions of the country.
- The project’s Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) endorsed the common methodology for participatory mapping and are committed to making it the standard in Cameroon.
- Rainbow is producing a common methodology toolkit.
"We were isolated in our work. But, through the pilot, we were able to work with all the actors doing community mapping in Cameroon. As a result, the next maps we produce will be produced in a way that the government and the national institute of cartography agree it should be done. This really gives a lot of weight to the maps. The government used to say communities can’t produce maps. Now we have agreement on how to do community mapping and we have enhanced communities’ ability to use maps to protect their rights. We have overcome the challenge.
"
- Georges Thierry Handja,
Rainforest Foundation
Impact
- Laid important new groundwork for enabling Indigenous Peoples and local communities to gain recognition of their claims to lands and resources.
- Set the stage for reducing growing conflict driven by investment in agricultural, forestry and mining.
- Used the mapping protocol development and testing to enhance coordination among government ministries with responsibility for land tenure, resources and development planning and recognition of participatory community mapping as an essential tool for reducing conflict over land and resources and for supporting tenure-sensitive land-use planning and investment.
- Strengthened the existing community of practice among civil society organizations using mapping as a tool for furthering the land and resource rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
- Developed a tool with broad support that could play a crucial role in securing community rights over more than 5 million hectares, if applied across the country by government and national development projects.
