In the dense equatorial forests of eastern Cameroon, the Baka people have for generations relied on hunting, gathering and foraging for survival. Today, however, climate shocks, mounting environmental pressure and social upheaval are rapidly transforming this way of life, forcing communities to adapt in order to endure.

Recurring droughts and floods, shrinking forest resources, economic instability and the spillover of conflict from the Central African Republic have deepened food insecurity across the region. In Mayos village, in Dimako district—home to nearly 600 Baka people—scarcity has become so acute that families often travel more than 50 km into the forest in search of food, sometimes withdrawing children from school to cope.

“Today, we live from farming, but that wasn’t always the case,” says Dieudonné Noutcheguenou, a Baka elder. “Our parents lived from hunting, gathering and foraging.”

Building resilience through new livelihoods

Between April 2024 and June 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), working with the Government of Cameroon and supported by World Bank funding, implemented the Emergency Project to Combat the Food Crisis in Cameroon (PULCCA). The initiative targets communities hardest hit by climate shocks, with a strong focus on Indigenous Peoples.

In Mayos, the project blended traditional ecological knowledge with modern agricultural practices. Households received production kits containing cassava and plantain cuttings, yam seedlings, poultry and small ruminants. More than 30 training sessions introduced climate-adapted farming methods and sustainable beekeeping.

Community ownership was prioritised from the outset. Training sessions and consultations were conducted in the Baka language, and community members actively participate in local monitoring committees to ensure interventions respect cultural values and traditions.

“PULCCA is not only an emergency response,” says Antonio Querido, FAO Representative in Cameroon. “It is a commitment to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities—especially Indigenous Peoples—so they can become full actors in their own development.”

From forest dependence to local production

A farmer field school focused on cassava cultivation has become a shared learning space where men and women test new techniques and exchange knowledge. Cassava, once scarce, is now produced locally, reducing the need for long and hazardous journeys into the forest.

Beekeeping has proven especially transformative. With training, protective equipment and modern hives, honey production has become safer, more sustainable and economically viable.

“Before, collecting honey meant cutting trees and making long, uncertain trips,” says Angoula Nestor, a newly trained beekeeper. “Now we harvest clean, high-quality honey and earn enough to support our families.”

The additional income has helped improve household nutrition and school attendance—critical gains for a community at risk of losing both livelihoods and cultural heritage.

For Angelina Efouma, a grandmother in her seventies caring for ten grandchildren, the project has been essential. “I’m still active. I know the land well. I plant cassava and macabo,” she says. “This project helps us enormously.”

Measurable impact, lasting change

So far, 374 people in Mayos have directly benefited from the initiative. Across eastern Cameroon, PULCCA has reached nearly 25,000 households in the departments of Lom-et-Djerem, Haut-Nyong, Boumba-et-Ngoko and Kadey.

For the Baka of Mayos, the shift toward farming and beekeeping represents more than an economic adjustment—it is a move toward food sovereignty, dignity and resilience in the face of climate change.

“This project allows us to produce for ourselves, without depending on others,” says Noutcheguenou. “Our children can eat at home and go to school more easily. It’s a real step forward for our village.”