In June 2015, the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and partners rolled out a five-year innovative project to enhance sustainable management of community forests in Cameroon known as DRYAD. Funded by UKAID -Department for International Development (DFID) and implemented in collaboration with TMP Systems, NGOs and Community Forests Enterprises (CFEs) ; the Dryad project was an experiment in deploying public finance to de-risk and ready community forest enterprises in Cameroon for private investments through a performance-based finance approach which saw better access to finance catalyse viable and sustainable enterprises around forest products and services for the benefit of forest communities. The project developed sustainable business models for community forest enterprises and has been training the communities on technical and business skills of data collection and reporting through appropriate innovative technology, proper record keeping and building investment portfolios that improve their credit scores. By end of the project, a series of 12 publications (8 peer-reviewed papers, 2 policy briefs and 2 technical briefs) and a resource book on tools and instruments used in the Dryad process had been delivered. The Dryad initiative strives for social equity while seeking to ensure the durability of forest resources; it aims to empower communities to take the lead in sustainable economic activities in order to reduce poverty, improve living conditions and ensure sustainable local development.
