In a bid to foster sustainable development and enhance biodiversity conservation, UNESCO has launched an innovative project titled “Biodiversity Business” in Oban Biosphere Reserve, Akamkpa local government area of Cross River State.
Cross River State National Park, which encompasses Nigeria’s largest rainforest and one of Africa’s oldest, is recognized as a critical biodiversity hotspot.
However, it is under significant threat from illegal logging, slash-and-burn agriculture, and poaching.
This project, which aligns with Nigeria’s National Development Plan, aims to address these threats, while improving the socioeconomic conditions of local communities, with special emphasis on empowering women and youths through entrepreneurship.
During the workshop’s opening session, Deputy Governor Peter Odey, representing the State Governor, emphasized the critical role of local community engagement in the project’s success.
Abdourahamane Diallo, Head of the UNESCO Office and Representative to Nigeria, who was represented at the event, and Mohammed Kabir, Assistant Controller General of Ecology and Resource Management at the National Park Service in Abuja, spoke on the potential impacts of the project.
The inception workshop aims to gather insights and feedback from these communities, regarding potential biodiversity business opportunities.
Editor : Ena Agbanoma
