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International audience ; Cameroon like other developing countries is developing approaches to respond to national and global climate change adaptation and mitigation commitments. Sufficient information on the interplay between sector policies and the causes, impacts and response to climate change is relevant for developing sustainable climate change response plans. Using the agriculture sector as a case, this paper examines this interplay in the context of the humid forest zone (HFZ) of Cameroon. Drawing on secondary information from agriculture sector strategies, forest cover change, climate vulnerability and agriculture systems in the HFZ, we found that: (i) the objectives of agriculture expansion and avoided deforestation and forest degradation are at crossroads ; (ii) agriculture as a livelihood strategy is vulnerable to climate variability and change; (iii) strengthening agriculture production systems technically, materially and financially are main suggestions for climate resilient and low carbon emission agriculture practices. We highlight barriers that need to be addressed for the agriculture intensification mechanism , i.e. the agriculture research and extension services in Cameroon to respond to the needs of adaptation and carbon emission reductions from avoided deforestation. These ABOUT THE AUTHOR Eugene L Chia is a researcher/expert with an interdisciplinary background that cuts across environment and development issues. He has published extensively on climate change and has years of experience working on climate change mitigation and adaptation from the policy level to the project level in the Congo basin region. He is currently providing advisory services to the government of Cameroon on climate change response policies and actions related to adaptation and carbon emission reduction. This paper is part of his contribution to policy inputs (information and knowledge) and the debate in the climate change policy response process in Cameroon.

Riparian communities activities threaten conservation in biosphere reserves in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Yangambi Biosphere Reserve (YBR) is no exception to this degradation. Thus, the objective of the presents study was to elucidate the local factors underlying the high pressure on natural resources and analyze the complexity of biosphere reserve zoning management using an interdisciplinary approach combining document review, field surveys and semi-structured interviews. Our results revealed that the zoning applied to the YBR did not take into account social dynamics. With population growth, the riparian community is doomed to remain in restricted areas, leading to over-exploitation of the space and land degradation, forcing the population to travel long distances to reach fertile plots into the protected area. Also, the lack of employment and the absence of participatory zoning also exacerbate tensions between the manager and the riparian community. For an effective management of the YBR, political authorities should become more involved in the participatory zoning of conservation areas and village exploitations. In addition, they should improve farming techniques to mitigate soil degradation.

Banana bunchy top disease (BBTD), an invasive and devastating viral disease, is widespread in banana-producing areas in Sub-Saharan Africa. Recovery of banana production in BBTD-affected areas was undertaken in a research project through the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (CRP-RTB) in eight countries. Understanding household and community dynamics is vital to recovery because decision-making on banana production and resource allocation occur at household level, while opportunity structures for men and women to engage in such work are influenced by social norms expressed both at household and community levels. Studies were undertaken to understand gender norms, practices and experiences in intra- and inter household and community dynamics related to banana farming in BBTD-affected areas. A standardized methodology was applied in all sites including household survey, gender seasonal calendar, daily activity schedule and a community profile. Results from analysis of four cases studies from Burundi, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Nigeria indicated that banana is an important crop for both female and male farmers in all pilot sites and considered as both a staple food and a source of income. Men, women and male and female children are all involved in different banana production activities at household level; some mostly done by men assisted by male children (land preparation in DRC (95%), Nigeria (83%), Gabon (82.5%) and Burundi (64%)) while others are mostly done by women assisted by female children (watering, weeding in Kisangani (87%)). Men and women have differential use, control and ownership rights to different types of productive resources within the household which have implications for effective BBTD control and the benefits derived. Insights from the study will be used to develop guidelines for the incorporation of gender-responsive strategies into the design and implementation of BBTD control strategies. ; Peer Review