TREE PLANTING IN NORTHERN SAHELIAN REGION
The northern region of Cameroon has a Sahelian climate, complicated with the fast approaching Sahara desert. The climate is characterized by low precipitation, usually below 900mm, with dry and rainy seasons. Unlike the middle belt of the country, the dry season goes on for more than 9 months followed by about 3 months of the rainy season.
In these 3 months, the low humidity increases the average annual temperature to about 35oC, usually very dry with scorching dry heat, causes many air borne diseases like meningitis that easily spread with the help of the characteristic 'Hamathan' wind over land which is flat and open. Many children die in these conditions. This fragile physical environment is threatened by natural and human influences, causing many ecological imbalances.
Few trees, apart from spotted shrubs, survive the long dry season resulting in excessive evaporation and low water tables. This makes life extremely difficult both for human beings and their cattle, which are the mainstay of the area. People and cattle die in some numbers during the dry season.
SHUMAS, in collaboration with the Diocese of Yagoua, has been able to initiate a pilot scheme in six villages in the Extreme Northern Province of Cameroon. This consists principally of a tree planting exercise, but also led to the training of deprived young girls who have never been able to attend school due to gender issues etc.
SHUMAS has been training local communities to
establish tree nurseries
and we provide polythene pots and other nursery materials
and equipment. Trainees learn how to care for and transplant
seedlings until their maturity. Up to now more than 2000
trees have been planted in community areas.
Due to the enthusiasm of local people, this project has been very successful.
Plans for the future...
SHUMAS is presently building a project involving the planting of more Neem Trees; one of the few species which survive the prolonged droughts so common in this area.
We are looking for project partners who might be interested in this project which will involve nursing and planting more than 400,000 seedlings of the Neem tree. Please contact us via our contact page.
