The initiative “Acting for Nature Conservation – Educating and Empowering Future Eco-Citizens in Africa”, launched some months ago in partnership with the Audemars Watkins Foundation and Play for Nature, is already showing promising results on the ground!
This initiative supports 10 NGOs actively working in Burkina Faso, Benin, Cameroon, Senegal, and Madagascar. Their shared mission: raising youth awareness about environmental preservation through educational and engaging activities.
Numerous initiatives have already been rolled out. Despite the intense heat and heavy rains, children and young people are enthusiastic, school administrators and teachers are highly involved, and the NGOs are more motivated than ever!
Today, we’re highlighting the many activities carried out by the NGO Sentinelle de la Nature in Burkina Faso, where our MOOC Conservation ambassador and Youth Conservation volunteer tutor, Firmin Tape, is an active member.
Today, we’re highlighting the many activities carried out by the NGO Tropical Forest and Rural Development in Cameroon, particularly by Jocelyn Aubery Ewane, Environmental Education Project Officer, notably through the ‘Mobile Bus’ project. Take a look at his latest field report!
🌿 Empowering Youth for Conservation: Somalomo ECOCLUB Trained in Beetle Farming as a Sustainable Alternative to Poaching
As part of its commitment to biodiversity conservation and the fight against poaching, Tropical Forest – Research and Development (TF-RD), with financial support from Play For Nature, organized a two-day training session from April 26 to 27, 2025, in Somalomo, near the Dja Faunal Reserve (DFR) in Cameroon.
During the workshop, 46 young people aged 12 to 18, all members of the Somalomo ECOCLUB, were introduced to beetle farming as an income-generating activity and a sustainable alternative to poaching. The initiative is part of a broader approach focused on environmental education, local development, and youth empowerment, aiming to encourage environmentally friendly livelihood options.
A Practical and Engaging Training
The training included:
- Harvesting palm heart, used as a primary food source for the beetles;
- Sex identification in beetles to support proper breeding practices;
- Management of farming containers to ensure consistent and sustainable production.
Each participant received a starter kit, including a farming container and the necessary materials to begin beetle farming at home. In total, 46 kits were distributed, and the young trainees welcomed the initiative with great enthusiasm.
“Thanks to this activity, we’ve learned that it’s possible to make a living without hunting protected wildlife.”
— A young participant from Somalomo
A Sustainable Path for a Responsible Future
This initiative perfectly demonstrates how education, local innovation, and community involvement can be powerful tools in nature conservation. By training young people in sustainable and profitable practices, TF-RD offers them real opportunities to contribute to protecting their environment while building economic resilience.
Youth Conservation proudly highlights this exemplary effort, which reflects our mission to support a generation of informed, empowered, and proactive young conservationists.
Congratulations to all the volunteers of Tropical Forest and Rural Development, especially to Jocelyn Aubery EWANE, Environmental Education Project Officer and lead of the ‘Mobile Bus’ project, for their energy and commitment to youth engagement and environmental protection!
If you’d like to learn more about their organization, you can reach them by email at tfrd2009@yahoo.fr or through their Facebook page.
