Exploitation minière et déforestation : cas du bassin versant de Djengou dans l’arrondissement de Batouri (Est Cameroun)

Abstract

Cameroon has significant mining potential, unevenly distributed throughout the country, with the Eastern region having the largest share. This study focuses on : "Mining and deforestation: the case of the Djengou watershed in the Batouri subdivision of East Cameroon". It is based on the observation that mining has numerous impacts on the environment and the population in the Djengou watershed. To achieve the objective, we used the hypothetical-deductive approach and formulated three hypotheses that structured three chapters from the presentation of the mining process in the Djengou catchment area, through the socio-environmental consequences of mining and ending with strategies and suggestions. An update of the state of play regarding deforestation and mining was made during the first field visits. A spatial analysis using satellite images enabled us to observe the types of ecosystems present on the site (mature forest and shrubby savannah), to observe the spatial regression of the forest cover, the degradation of the site, the modification of the morphology of the site, the degradation of the landscape of the site, and the modification of the bed of the Djengou watercourse. The companies present on the site practice large-scale clear-cutting, which accentuates the deforestation. No environmental standards are respected and the local populations live in total insecurity, exposed to all sorts of risks. The results of the survey gave the following statistics: on the environmental level: soil degradation 33%, the regression of forest cover between 2000 and 2015 is 1336 hectares or 27.44%; between 2000 and 2020 it is 1859 hectares or 43.66%. The shrubby savannah regressed by 376 hectares (6%) between 2000 and 2015 and by 550 hectares (13%) between 2000 and 2020. On the social level, the loss of cultural heritage has been noted; drinking water problems, 91% of the water consumed by the population comes from wells because the river that serves as a source of water supply is polluted. To address the problems raised, strategies and suggestions were formulated to address the problems caused by mining. These include the restoration of the local ecosystem, the application of legal texts relating to the protection of forests and mining, and the respect of environmental standards in order to ensure the sustainable management of forest ecosystems and the viability of the Djengou watershed.