DDA Alliance

The agro-forest project is creating a scalable economic opportunities for local communities including ecological security, shelter security, subsistence security and food security that are aligned with thriving bio-diverse ecosystems. The LCB has lost 90 percent of its volume and surface area over the past 45 years, due to the advancement of the desert and other relevant challenges, creating serious environmental, economic and social challenges for 50 million people whose lives and livelihoods depend on the lake. The Environmental resources are critical to the survival of the population, from subsistence, food, shelter to ecological security. The escalating degradation of the area due to lack of adapted income-generating plants that can produce commercial products and restore the degraded ecosystems is a call for concern. The project is focused on the resistance of raffia/Indian bamboo trees, banana/plantain suckers and papaya trees to raise income and rehabilitate these ecosystems.

The Don’t Do it Alone’s project titled “Agro-forestry to alleviate poverty” promotes papaya farming, coconut, plantain, raffia and Indian bamboo production in rural communities of the LCB, with the help of an innovative domestication technique that permits to identify the specific solutions for the project and thus provide a solution for scalable economic needs. at the same time restoring degraded ecosystems using organic fertilizer for plant survival and recycled waste materials to moist plants. The project will alleviate poverty and generate income through: the sales of foodstuff, handicraft materials, artisanal materials; offering social and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets food preferences for an active and healthy life around the LCB.

The project is serving approximately 50 million inhabitants, mainly farmers-breeders of the LCB today suffering from a rich but fragile ecosystem degraded by the advancement of the desert. It is a vital agro-ecological area for highly dependent on natural resources and rain fed agriculture, the inhabitants of the basin, are increasingly vulnerable to desertification even if their mobility, multi-activity and multi-functionality has been an asset to face past hazards. The climate is characterized by high inter-annual variability in the project areas. Forest degradation have led to an increase in temperature of about 6°C in March-May and Sept-Nov; an increase of 3-4°C from June-Aug and Dec-Feb favoring greater vapor-transpiration and higher inter and intranasal rainfall variability, more frequent extreme rainfall events and high incertitude about rainfalls patterns. 

DDA members have years of experience in team projects at our previous stage initiative, and that has helped us develop into a strong expertise to managing agro-forestry issues and communities to ensure the timely completion of projects. 

Our organization plays social value role by improving gov’t performance within local communities; building community participation and sustainable development; carryingout advocacy and awareness raising activities in permanent contact with local authorities, religious leaders and traditional chiefs. In our day-to-day activities we perform a variety of services and functions, to better understand citizen needs to various stakeholders and engage them on solutions priority to strategies such as the Agro-forestry project to alleviate poverty which has been highly appreciated by these communities due to its innovative design.

DDA Alliance is a CSO in Cameroon (Far-North Region). We do not have enough resources and depend on our member contributions, but we pooled our efforts together to make our ideas a success story.”

 Our plan is to push the project entitled “Agro-forestry to alleviate poverty” in the LCB, where we have deployed the innovation and its advantages, and eventually pursue the promotion, vulgarization and valorization components. We know that applying for technical support will be a real challenge, and this would help us focus on those tough challenges, rather than worrying about how to scale, this stage is very important for us.

The project is contributing a pragmatic “Agro-forestry innovation” in a “Cameroonian” context; to fight against poverty and degraded ecosystems, They will contribute in promoting four world challenges and reinforce the ongoing genuine ‘Cameroonian’ determination to combat the crisis, with more focus on practical interventions than the existing talking theory; and last but not least, the project looks into social, economic and regional issues for the benefit of youths and women; these solutions and their impacts (including cost). Overall, the project will contribute an innovative “agric-wall and solid rain” techniques for plant moisture, it will use personal soil analysis kits to determine soil PH+MPK to feed enrich plants roots with 35 types of organic fertilizers. Furthermore there will be a collaborative approach that presents important added value at LCB levels and promoting LBD practices in this area. 

The Agro-forestry project has given hopes to target groups on a new valorization technique on degraded ecosystems of the LCB and its environs through commercial plants. By 2024 about 50.000 plants must have been imposed in the area.

The project has achieved plant resistance over the past three years through: Impact:

- Project deployed in 06 project sites,

- 18.000 seeds were transported to the LCB sites and 2000 plants,

- 10 tons of domestic waste collected and transformed into organic fertilizer,

- The project interventions have contributed to the nursing of 18.000 seeds collected and ransported to the far-north region of Cameroon,

- The existence of more than 2000 plants resisting the harsh climate of the LCB;

- 35 different types of organic fertilizers used on plants,

- Adapted solid rain products used on plants,

- Adapted drip kits used to moist plants,

- PH, MPK kits used to test soil qualities,

- 04 plants nurseries created for seeds fast germination from 12 months to 10 days ;

- 06 management planting system exist in 06 localities,

- 2000 young plants selected and transported to the Far-North region, 

Monitoring

The Agro-Forestry project is implementing a monitoring plan directly and through its relationship with ALCOCO. The monitoring system developed by ALCOCO includes the following components and issues: Nursery, plantation (costs), labour and environmental and socioeconomic impacts. 

The monitoring proposal also describes the flow of information between different areas of the involved institutions. The results of monitoring are used to adjust project research and development priorities and action.

As part of the environmental monitoring in the baseline it was possible to determine: (i) An increase in the water flow of courses that come from the plantation; (ii) the improvement of soil layers in horizon 0; (iii) an increase in soil macro fauna; and (iv) abundance of wildlife in the plantation.

The project has developed standard operating manuals for all components that require monitoring over time. These manuals inform newer team members of the procedures required for implementation of all project activities. Where needed, the manuals will be updated based on lessons learned during the project.

To monitor tree growth and yield as well as to develop growth and yield models, permanent sample plots have been laid out in the management units.

The DDA Alliance Agro-forestry initiative supports the social normes of development and empowerment in the project targetted zones, precisely the emergent changes within the target communities, the transformative and projectable change in the LCB.

The Project Agro-forestry encompasses the fight against poverty and degraded ecosystems. In addition, the project aims to build local capacity in sustainable agro forestry techniques as well as nursery and plantation management. The importance of developing the capacity of families neighboring the project is not only to generate economic development but also to change current unproductive agricultural practices and use the innovative plants, to rehabilitate degraded ecosystems, generate income and alleviate poverty. 

DDA Alliance set up an initial experiment in a highly degraded area of 100 plants. The financing for this pilot came from research members. In 2012, the project extended initiatives in the North & Far-North regions. The design of project technology is as follows: 

Technical:

1.1: Environmental assessment of the zone to gain knowledge and enhance the understanding of the core characteristics of the LCB area. 

1.2. Strengthened capacities “learning by doing” (LBD) on how to plant. 

1.3: Preparation, selection of seeds & plants. 

1.4: Transportation of seeds & plants from South to the North (covering 1500KM distance). 

1.5: Soil preparation and planting design. 

1.6: Establishment of 06 nurseries with a production capacity of 18000 plants per year. Using 35 different types of organic fertilizer. An average of 21 local gardeners engaged with the support of councils. An adapted watering system with recycled hospital drips & solid rain from baby diapers used. 

1.7: Planting of 2000 plants in targeted localities. 

1.8: Maintenance and best practice, designed to reduce the mortality level, maximize growth and yield and mitigate the risk of diseases. 

1.9: Research by DDA Alliance. 

1.10: Monitoring, for project needs in order to assess in a timely way fundamental indicators such as survival, growth rates & challenges. 

DDA Alliance in its day-to-day activities respect the existence of differences within its members and make sure  that processes and programs are impartial, fair and provide equal possible outcomes for every member while ensuring that people feel a sense of belonging to the same milieu and  love for each an everyone. Our leadership goals are as follows: Members have become active listener to learn better; deliver constructive feedback that facilitates group progress; adaptable to change and progress; Improve emotional and personnal willingness; engage to be more pragmatic; put in place solid surroundings; be a good leader by leading as a model.

The bussiness model of DDA Alliance within the context of this project will be the Low-Touch. This model is advantagious because it takes a high-end offering and reduces the cost (and quality) of a precised product.

DDA Alliance intend to raise funds within the next 24 months through:

- Member contribution

- Donor organizations

- Sales of products

After this period the project will become financially independent.

It should be mentioned that DDA Alliance has succeeded to this extend through its members continous contribution which stands at 3000 USD, annually; This is the first time we are applying for support.