Chief Edwin Ogar
Ekuri Initiative, Nigeria: Community
Based Benefits Sharing from the Ekuri
Community Forest, Nigeria.
Community Based Benefits Sharing from the
Ekuri Community Forest, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria is a populated country with
about 170 million people, 250
languages and consist of 36 States
and one is Cross River State
Nigeria has five types of ecological
zones
Mangrove
Tropical forest
Savannah
Semi arid zone
Arid
Cross River State Map
Cross River state has 18
Local Government Areas
(LGAs) with three types of
Ecological Zones:
Mangrove
Tropical forest
Savannah
Ekuri Community
Ekuri community
• Consist of Old Ekuri and New Ekuri villages and is
situated in tropical forest eco-zone
• Sandwich between Ukpon Forest Reserve and
Cross River National Park, Iko Esai and Okokori,
Etara/Eyeyeng community forests to W and NE.
• Belong to Nkukoli tribe and speaks Lokoli.
• Predominantly are peasant farmers and forest
gatherers
• Population of 6,000
• Joint owners of the rich biological diverse Ekuri
community forest 33,600ha
• Conceived the idea of community forestry in 1982
• Started formal community forestry in 1992 and
established the Ekuri Initiative as an NGO with
focus on conservation, sustainable forest
management, community development and
poverty reduction.
• Generated incomes from the forest, other internal
income sources and grants.
Benefits sharing from Ekuri community forest
• Community facilities, individuals, neighbours,
government and the global community
Community Facilities
• Construction of a 40km dirt road, all culverts and
bridges to both Ekuri villages
• Part funding of a health centre
• Equipment and furnishing of the health centre
• Building of a six classroom and furnishing
• Refurbishment of classroom building and
furnishing.
• Building of a civic centre
• Maintenance of facilities
• Vehicle to ease evacuation of forest and farm
products to markets.
• Availability of forest resources
• Inclusive community forest governance
• Local, national and international recognition of
activities
• Proceeds from timber harvesting by the Ekuri
Initiative
• Deepen the preservation of traditions and culture
• Pragmatic and sustainable activities
Community Facilities
Community Facilities
Benefits to individuals:
• Skills development of youths and women in prioritized
areas
• Literacy improvements/awards of scholarships
• Farm inputs to farmers
• Micro-credit scheme
• Health subsidy for the vulnerable
• Wood subsidy
• Seed capital – animal farming
• Jobs creation through adding value to farm products
• Regular incomes from NTFPs
• Availability of NTFPs to neighboring communities
• Water for downstream communities
• Health improvements through the use of herbs
• strengthening application of indigenous
knowledge.
• Improvements of knowledge in the community
• Reduction in poverty
• Improved social status of individuals
• Strong social coherence
Individual Benefits
Individual Benefits
Individual Benefits
Government
 Permit fees – timber and NTFPs
 Contributions to CBD, UNFCCC
Global community:
 Climate change mitigation
 Others environmental services – water, air,
stabilization of the soil and erosion control,
biodiversity etc.
How benefits sharing for individuals are
implemented in Ekuri Community.
• Eleven Etuoh (maternal lineages) exist
• Each Etuoh selects and forward names of
beneficiaries to each Ekuri village
• Equitable benefits sharing among Etuoh
• Promotes social cohesion devoid of external divide
and rule
• Considerably enhanced sustainability
• Ekuri villagers inalienable rights to use of
NTFPs/herbs.
Challenges:
• Some unsatisfied persons clamoring for more benefits
• Propensity by some for more benefits sharing for
individuals against capital projects.
• Interest of few to log the forest individually for self gains.
• illegal forest lease of this forest
• Logging moratorium since 2008
• Un-sustained supports from outside
• Threat of encroachments by 2 community neighbors.
• High maintenance costs of vehicle due to old age
• Poverty
How these are resolved or addressed:
 General Assembly (GA) of the Ekuri Initiative
• Prioritized needs as approved by the GA are
implemented or reviewed.
• Convention of Nkukoli nation
• Court cases/supreme sacrifice by the six
• Looking inward for sustainability of activities
• Peer to peer conservation in neighboring
communities.
END
SHIEMORE (Thank you in Lokoli)
C/o NGOCE,
65 Ndidem Usang Iso Road,
Calabar – Cross River State,
Nigeria.
Phone: +234 803 546 1507
E-mail: ekuri1@yahoo.com
www.ekuriinitiative.org