Community-based participatory management and improvement of living conditions

An essential issue for protected area managers is to be able to encourage the continued commitment of communities to conservation by supporting their development and living conditions. Local Development Plans have been drawn up in six villages bordering Taï NP and support is provided to implement these (securing funding, technical supervision, etc.).

PAPFor supports the improvement of non-timber forest product value chains by introducing tree species into cropping systems; this promotes agroforestry initiatives, with the example in Taï of Makoré butter, extracted from the seeds of the Makore redwood tree and similar to shea butter which is already well known in the cosmetics industry. The gender approach in this activity’s implementation is illustrated in the village of Zaïpobly where a women’s group produces this product and also runs a large nursery of multi-purpose trees for agroforestry, the seedlings of which are sold in the Taï Department and beyond.