Yaoundé, March 21, 2025 – As deforestation accelerates and food security worsens, Indigenous and local communities in Cameroon are demanding urgent action. On the International Day of Forests, Greenpeace Africa and Indigenous leaders called for the creation of a Congo Basin Forest Day—a day to formally recognize the frontline defenders of Africa’s largest rainforest and their fight against environmental destruction
“One day to honor a lifetime of protection”
For SM Nkolo Thade, chief of Nyamibete, the initiative is long overdue:
“Year after year, nothing changes. Our rights remain ignored, and our efforts to protect the forest go unrecognized. Indigenous and local communities are the backbone of forest conservation, yet we are marginalized. One day out of 365 would be a powerful step toward acknowledging our role and our fight to safeguard the planet.”
This year’s International Day of Forests focuses on “Forests and Food”- a theme that directly impacts communities who rely on the forest for survival. Stella Tchoukep, Forest Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, warned of the escalating crisis:
“Food insecurity is skyrocketing across Africa. Destroying forests means destroying the livelihoods of millions. It’s time for conservation funding to go directly to the communities that have protected these forests for generations. Without them, there is no future for these ecosystems.”
Deforestation, climate change, and a race against time
Cameroon’s forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. Mining, industrial agriculture, and illegal logging are stripping the land, devastating biodiversity, and deepening poverty. Instead of bringing promised development, these projects push rural communities into crisis.
“The pressure on Cameroon’s forests is relentless. Expanding agro-industry, mining and deforestation are wiping out ecosystems and driving food insecurity. Climate change is making things worse – erratic rainfall is crushing crop yields, and entire communities are on the brink. As Cameroon drafts its first-ever land policy, it must prioritize the land rights of forest communities before it’s too late,” urged Tchoukep.
The numbers are alarming: 74% of households report declining harvests, 70% say soil quality is deteriorating, and in 2023, three million Cameroonians – 11% of the population – faced acute food insecurity, according to a study published by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
A global movement to safeguard forests
This crisis is bigger than Cameroon. Greenpeace Africa is pushing for a global response through its Forest Solutions Campaign, bringing together the world’s three largest rainforest basins to champion local solutions and demand real funding for the people protecting these forests.
The message is clear: time is running out. Without urgent action, the Congo Basin – the planet’s second-largest rainforest – will be lost, along with the communities that live there and protect it. Greenpeace Africa and its allies are calling on governments, international organizations, and the public to stand with Indigenous and local communities in defense of one of the world’s last great forests.
ENDS
Contacts:
Luchelle Feukeng, Communication and Storytelling Manager, [email protected], +237 656 46 35 45
