Four Strategic Pillars
Select a pillar below to explore our approach, current milestones, and future roadmap.
Biodiversity Conservation
Landscape-scale ecosystem protection built on community stewardship, not fences.
The Challenge
Habitat loss, deforestation, poaching, and invasive species drive species decline and erode ecosystems millions rely on for food and water.
Our Approach
Landscape-scale conservation combining habitat restoration and community governance using a One Health lens across wildlife and people.
Key Milestones
- 9 CCMAs established in Dja Landscape
- Community wildlife surveillance active
- Key Congo Basin corridors protected
Where We’re Headed
- Expand community-led conservation
- Formally recognize protected areas
- Scale One Health across landscapes
Climate Change Resilience
Building the adaptive capacity that vulnerable landscapes still lack.
The Challenge
Droughts, floods, and land degradation deepen food insecurity in African landscapes lacking climate adaptation capacity.
Our Approach
Promoting climate resilience through agroecology, ecosystem restoration, and integrating climate-smart agriculture across all projects.
Key Milestones
- Climate resilience embedded across programmes
- Agroforestry & sustainable land use scaled
- Landscape conservation linked to climate action
Where We’re Headed
- Scale climate-smart, regenerative land use
- Expand nature-based solutions
- Unlock carbon markets & climate finance
Renewable Energy Access
Clean power for households, health posts, and rural enterprise
The Challenge
Reliance on unsustainable biomass drives deforestation, indoor air pollution, and limits rural economic growth.
Our Approach
Clean energy solutions integrated directly into conservation, agriculture, health, and rural development frameworks.
Key Milestones
- Renewable energy built into community planning
- Solar infrastructure deployed in rural health posts
- Key clean energy investment partnerships
Where We’re Headed
- Expand solar grid access in rural areas
- Power community enterprises & medical centers
- Promote clean cooking technologies
Environmental Governance
The institutions that make conservation and development last.
The Challenge
Weak environmental governance and unrecognized natural capital undermine conservation outcomes across Africa.
Our Approach
Inclusive decision-making, natural capital accounting, and positioning local communities as active custodians rather than passive recipients.
Key Milestones
- Community governance structures established
- Natural Capital Accounting advanced
- Government institution partnerships formed
Where We’re Headed
- Advance Natural Capital Accounting nationally
- Strengthen landscape governance systems
- Promote innovative conservation financing
Community Health & One Health
Safeguarding human health by protecting wild ecosystems and improving rural healthcare access.
The Challenge
Encroachment into wild habitats increases exposure to zoonotic disease threats, while remote conservation landscapes lack clean water, sanitation, and essential medical services.
Our Approach
Implementing an integrated One Health framework linking human health, animal health, and environmental management through community surveillance and solar-powered rural health clinics.
Key Milestones
- Community wildlife health surveillance active
- Solar infrastructure installed in remote health posts
- Hygiene & clean water initiatives in forest villages
Where We’re Headed
- Expand early-warning disease monitoring networks
- Power remote medical centers with solar microgrids
- Train community health workers on One Health protocols
Flagship programmes
Where the four pillars meet the ground named initiatives anchoring our work in specific landscapes.
DJA LANDSCAPE
Community Conservation Management Areas
Nine community-managed conservation areas across ~30,633 hectares in the northern Dja Landscape turning local communities into active custodians of biodiversity.
CONGO BASIN CORRIDOR
Dja–Ngoyla Interzone Conservation & Connectivity
Protecting 315,518 hectares of high-integrity forest, securing the wildlife corridor between the Dja and Ngoyla Reserves against logging, mining, and encroachment.
INERGRATED FRAMEWORK
Biodiversity, One Health & Natural Capital
Wildlife surveillance, forest monitoring, and ecosystem valuation combined into one framework including new financing mechanisms like payments for ecosystem services.
LANDSCAPE RESTORATION
Climate Resilience & Agroecological Transformation
Ecosystem restoration, agroforestry, and regenerative agriculture helping communities adapt to climate change while producing more sustainably.
NOUN DIVISION
Cooperative Enterprise Platform (CEP)
Transforming eight agricultural cooperatives into climate-smart hubs with mechanization, processing, and market access anchored by the CPAN Agrobusiness Hub in Foumban.
COMMUNITY-LED
Livelihoods, Youth & Enterprise Development
Livestock production, agroecology, women’s economic empowerment, and youth leadership building local ownership alongside environmental impact.
See these programmes on the ground — explore the landscapes where they work.
The African Conservation and Development Foundation (ACDEF)
is a UK registered organization, Headquartered in Cambridge and works for nature and people in Africa
Charity No. 1125961
Company No. 6334400
Quick Links
Useful Links
Copyright © ACDEF 2025. All Right Reserved.
Powered by Willan Technologies