Livelihoods

The bushmeat crisis in Africa will continue as long as there are individuals who rely on wildlife for protein or income. No amount of law enforcement or awareness will curb the illegal bushmeat trade in the absence of realistic alternatives. The Wild Chimpanzee Foundation started to address the importance of bushmeat alternatives with developing sustainable livelihoods for local communities to protect the remaining wildlife in West Africa and help the communities with income. WCF and Universal Outreach Foundation (UOF) helped to create the Sapo Women Conservation Enterprise, involved in the Sapo Ecolodge, marked-gardening, bakery and beekeeping projects. The projects provide an alternative source of income and/or protein to the local population and by this discourage their involvement in the commercial bushmeat trade. The projects are supervised by WCF and local experts until they have reached a sustainable level.