Inception workshop for the ‘’Enhancing Iko Esai Community Forest Management Strategy’’ project held
Photo: Executive Director, PADIC-Africa, giving an opening speech at UN FAO Project Inception Workshop at Iko-Esai
The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are collaborating on a five-year sub-regional project: Global Forest Transformation for People and Climate: A Focus on West Africa. This project contributes to the implementation of the ECOWAS convergence plan for the management and sustainable use of forest ecosystems in West Africa.
The project was launched in Kpalime Togo drawing participants from selected NGOs within the ECOWAS nations.
Through a vigorous and very competitive selection process Development Concern (DEVCON) now PADIC-Africa was selected as beneficiary NGO in Nigeria to implement
Component 3 of the project: Demonstrating community-based sustainable forest and land use practices and fostering South-South cooperation. With focus on the Iko-Esai Forest management Initiative.
Following the project launch in Kpalime Togo, DEVCON organised Project Inception Workshop in Iko-Esai community. During the Workshop which draw participants from the community, civil society and government agencies in the forestry sector, highlighted the theme; “Enhancing Iko Esai Community Forest Management Strategy”, the Executive Director, DEVCON Dr. Martins Egot said that the community initiative was selected as a pilot for the project because of their clear forest management strategy.
According to Dr. Egot, the workshop is meant to bring together all stakeholders including community leaders, women and youths, relevant government institutions and development partners to a common understanding of the project the objectives, expected outcome and implementation strategies to ensure community ownership, transparency and accountability.
The community members commended FAO and it’s collaborating organisations, including DEVCON for recognizing and appreciating the effort of Iko Esai community in sustainable forest management.
According to the Clan Head of Iko-Esai, His Royal Highness, Obhort Obio Owai;‘’Our people have always benefited from the laudable projects introduced by DEVCON especially the “Land Use Plan” established by the community. This Land Use Plan is the major reason why our forest is still protected from invaders.’’
The Clan head continued; “The secret of conserving and managing our forest was that before now, we were having serious deforestation but we ourselves decided that instead of our forest to vanish, we came up with a plan and we called that “Land Use Plan”, that has helped us to preserve our forest. We demarcated a potion where people can cultivate. We didn’t stop there; we came back to regenerate the lost forest by nursing some species and replanted them in the forest.
“And I thank God, DEVCON has made us understand that they will continue to partner with us in forest conservation, our doors are always open to lean more.” Chief Owai maintained.
On her part, the Community Woman Leader, Elder Grace Owai, expressed delight over the workshop, adding that it will go a long way to encourage Iko-Esai women more in maintaining and managing the forest most especially, in the area of cultivation.
Cross Section of Participants at the Workshop (Iko-Esai Women)
She added, “We are happy that FAO through DEVCON has selected our community for this exercise, it’s a rear privilege and I’m proud to be from a community that conserves it forest. As a woman leader, I play an important role in the life of the women in Iko-Esai when it comes to forest protection. All I do is remind them that they have to remain something for their children- children unborn.”
Also speaking, the incumbent Chairman, Iko-Esai Council of Chiefs, Chief Wilson Ankpor, said forests conservation was the right way to go by any aspiring community and members of Iko-Esai community had before now resolved not to indulge in deforestation and he urged other communities to take a cue in what they are doing.
According to Ankpor, “Forest conservation is a very important thing for any aspiring community, so we have decided not to go back to deforestation, lectures like this will give us more ideas on how to conserve our forest. We are not in that line of destroying the forest, that is why we earlier borrowed the idea of producing our land use plan so that we don’t destroy encroach our forest unnecessary.”
Iko-Esai Clan Secretary, Arorim Esira, said, “I have seen the need to conserve the forest and it’s a way to have more for tomorrow. I discovered that so many animals and wildlife species are going extinct because of our forefather’s inability to conserve them. There is benefit in conservation that is what has given this community global recognition.
Photo: Cross Section of Participants at Inception Workshop in Iko-Esai Community