Akamkpa: Stakeholders in biodiversity conservation have emphasized that establishing biodiversity businesses within Nigeria’s biosphere reserves will enhance biodiversity conservation, foster South-South cooperation, generate wealth, and preserve nature for sustainable development. This initiative was discussed at the ongoing Biodiversity Business Training for 12 selected communities within the Oban Biosphere Reserve, hosted in the Cross River National Park.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Biodiversity Business Training is organized within the Nigeria-UNESCO Biodiversity Project framework, supported by the India-UN Development Partnership Fund. The project is executed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), and the National Park Service. Dr. Zacharia Yaduma, Director-General of FRIN, highlighted that the program aims to assist communities in developing alternative livelihoods to reduce pressure on forest resources.
Yaduma explained that communities rely on the reserves for essential resources such as firewood, food, and income, and it is imperative to provide alternative livelihoods before halting their use of these resources. He believes that generating income through biodiversity businesses will discourage practices like cutting down trees for firewood or hunting wildlife for food. Additionally, conservation of the reserves is expected to promote tourism, enhancing foreign exchange earnings.
Prof. Morenike Ojo, Head of Elizabeth Ehi-Ebiewele Biodiversity Linkage Centre, FRIN, emphasized that biodiversity conservation is vital for combating climate change and preserving natural resources. Ojo pointed out that deforestation, industrialization, and waste mismanagement are significant contributors to climate change, which affects rainfall, temperature, and food security. She underscored the importance of restoring degraded environments through tree planting.
Dr. Okeyoyin Agboola, a member of the project’s steering committee and resource person on environmental conservation, noted that biodiversity resources offer numerous benefits, including food, medicine, and ecological stability. Agboola stressed that protecting these resources is crucial for their preservation and that biodiversity conservation enhances ecotourism development, attracting international tourists and generating foreign exchange.
Prof. Raphael Offiong from the Department of Geography and Environmental Science at the University of Calabar described tropical rainforests as the earth’s lungs, essential for its survival. Offiong warned of the dire consequences of losing these forests, stating that they are invaluable economically, ecologically, and spiritually, providing oxygen, food, employment, medicine, and social cohesion.
The biodiversity business project aims to alleviate poverty, promote conservation-friendly businesses, and strengthen Nigeria’s contribution to global biodiversity goals through community participation and sustainable ecosystem management. The training, lasting a week, includes environmental education, biodiversity business management, and practical modules on piggery, fish farming, and poultry farming biodiversity businesses.
