Strike a match on the lower slopes of Mount Cameroon this week and you will find few takers. In the communities of Bwassa, Naanga and Woteke, farmers have traded fire for roots: 6,000 Inga edulis seedlings are already in the ground, their fresh green leaves forming living terraces against one of the wettest, most erosion-prone landscapes in Central Africa.
This milestone—achieved in record time—marks the official launch of the Mount Cameroon Inga Project, a collaboration between Green Cameroon, RCE Vienna and RCE Buea.
From Seed to Soil in Six Weeks
• 6,000 trees planted and mulched (2,000 per village)
• 30 farmers actively involved (10 from each community)
• Zero hectares burned since the first seedling went into the soil on 2 June 2025
• 100 % women’s groups participation in seedling transportation and mulching—a first for agro-forestry projects in this region
Guided by trainers from the Ministry of Forestry (MINFOF) and IRAD, villagers pegged contour lines, filled planting holes with composted prunings and watered each tree with grey-water from household chores. Within three planting blitzes, the target was reached—two weeks ahead of schedule.
Why These 6,000 Trees Matter
Erosion Control: Each double-row of Inga acts like a mini-dam, already trapping the first flush of topsoil from this year’s early rains.
Natural Fertiliser: Leaves are already falling, beginning the slow-release nitrogen cycle that will slash synthetic fertiliser costs next growing season.
Fuel-Wood Bank: First light prunings—set for September—will provide 30 % of participating households with cooking wood, reducing pressure on the adjacent Mount Cameroon National Park.
Carbon Sink: Early estimates show the 6,000 trees will sequester roughly 132 t CO₂-e over the next decade.
Voices from the Slope
Mr. Moki of Bwassa:
“These trees are our new boundary markers—between the old ways that washed our soil away and the future that keeps it here.”
Madam Ayingi Rose, cassava farmer in Naanga:
“I used to move my garden every two years. Now the same plot is greener than ever, and I’m already harvesting mulch thicker than my thumb.”
What Happens Next
Green Cameroon and partners have just kicked off a 24-month monitoring cycle:
– Quarterly yield measurements on maize, cocoyam and plantain plots
– Soil-loss pins installed every 50 m along the contour lines
– Village “Inga schools” where secondary pupils track growth rates as part of their science curriculum
By 2027, the lessons from these 6,000 pioneers will guide the planting of a continuous green belt stretching from Bwassa to the upper edge of the Mount Cameroon Forest Region.
How You Can Keep the Momentum
Sponsor a Row: USD 40 covers 20 seedlings plus two years of follow-up for one farmer.
Visit a Plot: Schedule a weekend eco-walk; farmers love an extra pair of hands for mulching.
Spread the Word: Use #6000IngaStrong to show the world that Cameroon’s highest peak is getting higher on hope, not ash.
Mount Cameroon gave this region its name, its rain and its fertile soils. Today, 6,000 living roots are giving something back—and thousands more are ready to join them.
Ready to trade your matchbox for a seedling?
Email info:@:greencameroon.org or call +237 677 756 881.
Together we can turn the slopes green—6,000 trees at a time, and growing.
