DISTRIBUTION OF EQUIPMENT TO COCOA FARMERS' COOPERATIVES IN MAMBELE

AAFEBEN participated in the equipment handover ceremony for cocoa farmers organized in Mambélé, at the conservation services under the guidance of the Lobéké National Park conservator...

Written on Saturday, March 22, 2025

On March 21, 2025, AAFEBEN participated in the equipment handover ceremony for cocoa farmers organized in Mambélé, at the conservation services under the guidance of the Lobéké National Park conservator, in the presence of the sub-prefects of Mouloundou and Salapoumbé.

For almost 05 years, AAFEBEN has been committed to supporting cocoa farmers in the communities bordering the Lobéké National Park, funded by the FTNS through conservation services and WWF. Several activities have already been carried out, yielding various results on the ground. To strengthen the results obtained by AAFEBEN on the ground and to aim for other types of results, the FTNS, through the BRIDGE project, provides additional support to what has already been done. This project aims to encourage cocoa farmers to protect biodiversity by adopting sustainable cocoa farming practices in the periphery of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lobéké National Park.

Since last year, several activities have already been carried out, including: awareness campaigns related to group dynamics, OHADA, the formalization of cooperatives, account opening, training in certification and income management, along with the development of monitoring plans, among others. Following these activities, at the request of the cocoa farmers to meet their needs, a significant batch of equipment was purchased by the conservation services for the planters. To start this year's cocoa campaign, a ceremony for the handover of this equipment to the cocoa farmers was organized on March 21, 2025, at the conservation services under the guidance of the conservator, in the presence of the sub-prefects of Mouloundou and Salapoumbé.

AAFEBEN's presence at this ceremony was to supervise the handover of equipment to 02 Baka and Bantu cooperatives it supports, with the aim of effectively starting the 2025 cocoa campaign with all guarantees for maximum production of quality cocoa for the well-being of the members of these cooperatives. These cocoa farmers received, among other things, 04 large-capacity motorcycles (BAZAR and LIFAN brands), 400 jute bags, 04 iron probes, 02 moisture meters, 17 tarpaulins (SPEC 1414 POLY STARP), 01 complete PC with printer, and office supplies (registers, reams of paper, ink, conference papers, markers, scotch, etc.). To this end, a tripartite memorandum of understanding was drafted and duly signed by AAFEBEN, the cooperatives, and the conservation services to ensure compliance with the management mechanism for the equipment granted to the cooperatives.