Driving Changes in Legality: Enhancing Wildmeat Governance
We played a pivotal role in supporting NGOs and governments as they updated information on wild meat use and trade in Cameroon, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Tanzania. This collaborative effort has already resulted in tangible policy changes in these countries, with ongoing efforts to solidify these changes into law.
In Central Africa, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of wild meat consumption rates from 2000 to 2023. These data provided critical insights used in workshops in Gabon to develop a national strategy on wild meat. The government subsequently endorsed the strategy, hosting policy workshops to transform policies into effective laws. Notably, four reforming bylaws and decrees were signed between 2020 and 2023, enhancing the sustainability and safety of legally traded meat.
In Cameroon, we hosted a national policy workshop that convened senators, members of parliament, and relevant stakeholders within the Ministry for Forests in 2023. We presented wild meat data to government stakeholders and facilitated discussions on potential legislative reforms. A dedicated working group for wild meat are collaborating with the Cameroonian government, drawing upon legal reviews and evidence from the WILDMEAT database.
Similarly, studies conducted by our partners in Tanzania regarding the legalization of wild meat revealed sustainability concerns, with illegal wild meat provision dominating the market. Recommendations for future changes were presented to relevant authorities, aiming to address these challenges and promote sustainable wild meat governance.
Through collaborative research, data analysis, and stakeholder engagement, the we created meaningful legal reforms to enhance the governance of wild meat trade and consumption, ensuring sustainability and health while addressing conservation challenges.