CI-NEWS

Climate Change Mitigation: Youths plant trees to save water in Nkambe.

2020-09-15

No: 531

Climate Change Mitigation: Youths plant trees to save water in Nkambe.

Access to clean and safe drinking water should be one of the main issues in alleviating poverty. In the Nkambe plateau, the increasing population density, human activities and demand for land has led to widespread clearing of the small patches of forests around water sources leading to water scarcity. The resulting farm bush landscape is poorly capable of retaining water, resulting in quick water run-off, soil erosion and water shortages. Even though the North West of Cameroon lies in one of the wettest places on earth with an average rainfall of 2500 mm per year, water shortages in the Nkambe plateau during the dry season are now very common. To remedy the situation, it is imperative to protect these water catchment areas, especially at this time that the need for water has skyrocketed due to the widespread of Covid-19.

With the phenomenon of climate change, a tree planting project intended to mitigate the effects of climate kick-started in the Nkambe plateau with the planting of 400 environment-friendly trees at the Kumsa water catchment in the outskirts of Nkambe town on September 1, 2020. The Kumsa water catchment serves two communities, Njap village and Kumsa Mbororo Community. At about 8am, youths of Njap village and youths Mbororo community at Kumsa gathered at the water catchment to collectively participate in the tree planting exercise. Youths from Kumsa were led by HRH Fon Chifu Stanley Tumi while the Mbororo youths were lead by Councillor Usmanu Biri.

Before proceeding with the planting of trees, Fai Cassian Ndi, initiator of the project who doubles as Coordinator of Youth Development Organisation - Yodo Cameroon - disclosed that the project idea emanated from a leadership summit on climate change he attended known as the Boston Green Fest Future Leaders Summit. He said after attending the virtual summit, and listening to the world's best environmentalists on how climate change could easily be conquered with little project ideas aimed at giving back to their various communities, he thought the most sustainable action of his should be the protection of water sources. "Planting trees and restoring nature is doing God's work", Fai Cassian Ndi emphasized. "The fact that I do not put a basket asking people to give offerings doesn't mean I am not doing God's work", he continued. He continued that this project will protect at least 8 water Catchments in the Nkambe plateau by August 2021.

It should be noted that the trees were donated by Youth Development Organisation (Yodo Cameroon) while CAMITEX, an electricity poles treatment company, supported the exercise with logistics.

Speaking at the end of the planting exercise, HRH Fon Chifu Stanley Tumi expressed gratitude to Boston Green Fest Future Leaders Summit for inspiring and empowering people who are valorising community needs. "Water is life, the trees we planted here today is what will give us life. Without water we are nothing", he concluded.

For his part Councilor Usmanu Biri applauded the initiative, adding that with climate change looming impact, the protection of water sources is a great gift to humanity. He appealed thatyouths from indigenous communities like the Mbororo should also be selected and empowered on platforms like BGFF leaders.

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Climate Change Mitigation: Youths plant trees to save water in Nkambe.