Raising Hope: How Fish Farming Is Changing Lives in the Congo Basin

In Bifolone village, deep in Cameroon’s Dja Biosphere Reserve, the Baka people have long relied on the forest for survival. But illegal logging and climate change have strained this balance, pushing some families toward bushmeat hunting out of necessity. Backed by the EU’s Natura Sud-Est and NaturAfrica initiatives, AWF has implemented a fish farming project that has brought training, tools, and 3,500 fingerlings to the community. The goal: reduce pressure on wildlife, improve nutrition, and create sustainable livelihoods.