Meet Eldad Umenjoh 2014 2degrees Champions Awards Nominee

Eldad Umenjoh hails from Ngie in the North West Region of Cameroon where palm oil production is one of the most reliable source of income to approximately 85% of the population. Being a young man who knows the importance of "black gold" palm oil as it is commonly known, Eldad started building the capacity of youths and women in sustainable management of natural resources. As environment advisor to the Anjong Young Farmers Group, he introduced a program to change the mindset and the attitude of farmers to learn best sustainable environmental practices in production, processing and transformation of palm oil and its by-products. As a matter of fact, Eldad believes that the peasant farmers in Bonambufie village could increase their income if they practice clean production of palm oil from durra wild palm trees. He says oil palm production could be professionalized through sustainable management of palm oil by product by instilling zero waste natural resources management of palm oil waste products. This particularly measures he says will generate eco-friendly by-products such as animal feed and soap, bio diesel and organic manure, from oil palm kernels which are wasted.

Why You Need to Give him Your Votes

The overall benefit is that by voting this project, it will improve on the quality of palm oil being produced both qualitatively and quantitatively. It will produce a spillover effect in the community given that it will lead to the putting in place of practices that will sustain the natural environment. Your vote will equally stand the taste of contributing significantly to improve the livelihood of the rural poor.

The income of farmers the other members of the communities increases, beside that they spend less on energy because they making use of manual mechanical hand presses for production of palm oil. These mechanical hand presses are environmentally-friendly because they do not use energy and are pollution-free besides clean air, less encroachment into the forest by farmer, more endangered species of trees and flora and fauna protected.


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