27/02/2026
In the heart of the emerald hills of Bakossi National Park,
Where mist kisses the canopy at dawn,
And rivers whisper secrets to ancient stones,
The forest breathes @ # , generous, enduring.
Here, beneath towering trees and woven vines,
Communities rise with the rhythm of the land
Guardians of tradition, keepers of seeds,
Children of abundance, yet seekers of opportunity.
The forest is more than timber and trails;
It is bush mango and njansang,
Bush pepper warming village kitchens,
Eru vines curling with quiet promise,
Honey dripping gold from sacred groves.
These are the gifts untold
Non-Timber Forest Products,
Treasures once gathered in silence,
Sold for little, valued for less,
Though rich with medicine, flavor, and future.
But hope walked in with steady steps
Food and Rural Development Foundation,
FORUDEF a voice for the voiceless forest communities,
A bridge between tradition and transformation.
They listened to the elders.
They trained the youth.
They gathered the women beneath mango trees
And spoke of value addition, of packaging, of power.
“Your forest is wealth,” they said.
“Your knowledge is strength.”
From vision to action,
From scattered harvests to shared purpose,
Rose a movement rooted in unity
Bakossi National Park Non-Timber Forest Products Cooperative
BANOTIFOPCOOP.
The first of its kind in the Park’s embrace,
A cooperative born of courage and collective will.
Where harvesters became shareholders,
Where gatherers became entrepreneurs,
Where the forest’s gifts found fairer markets.
Now, bush mango is weighed with dignity.
Njansang is processed with pride.
Bush pepper travels beyond village paths
Carrying stories of resilience.
And the forest?
It stands taller
Not exploited, but respected.
Not stripped, but sustained.
For when communities see value in conservation,
Protection becomes purpose.
Livelihood becomes stewardship.
