Group Empowers Women To Tackle Illegal Logging In Cross River

The Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) has wrapped up a training programme for women journalists in Cross River State, focusing on the devastating impact of illegal logging and climate-induced deforestation in Ekuri.

The training, themed “Women for Women to protect Ekuri forest and biodiversity,” aimed to build the capacity of women journalists to report on the effects of logging on women and connect them with journalists to amplify their concerns.

According to RDI project officer, Linda Amadi, “Illegal logging activities in Ekuri forest has been in the news, and the reports are unmistaken in describing the state of the once pristine forest which unfortunately is now a shadow of what it used to be.”

She noted that women in Ekuri bear the brunt of the socio-economic impacts of logging but are often excluded from decision-making processes.

The training highlighted the plight of Ekuri women, who are mainly farmers and dependent on forest resources for food and medicine.

“Women in Ekuri are mainly farmers who depend on the forest resources for food and medicine, but due to illegal logging activities, they are unable to access the forest for their basic needs,” Amadi said.

International journalist Vanessa Adie Offiong emphasised the need for journalists to go beyond “armchair reporting” and explore funding opportunities to cover stories on illegal logging.

“A journalist who knows his/her onions could look at stories concerning the gradual disappearance of particular fruits or foods indigenous to a community and use that as an entry point to a big story,” she said.

Environmental biochemist Dr. Chioma Okonkwo highlighted the overlooked impacts of illegal logging on food sovereignty and security.

“Particular seeds, fruits, and shrubs in places like Ekuri have become scarce or unavailable due to reckless plundering of the forest,” she noted.

Ndivile Mokena of Gender CC-South Africa shared South Africa’s experience, where women are driving urban forestry and biodiversity conservation efforts.

“The leadership of women is reshaping environmental management by blending community action, science, and governance,” she said.

The media’s role in advancing women’s roles in environmental conservation was also discussed. Journalists were urged to amplify women’s grassroots leadership stories and expose policy gaps.

Javier Garate of Global Witness emphasised documenting the impact of illegal logging and mining activities in Africa.

Agatha Chris Egot, an Ekuri woman, expressed gratitude for the platform, saying, “The situation in Ekuri is serious, and no government institution or NGO has approached us to attend a formal meeting to air our views.

This is a learning opportunity for us.” The training ended with the formation of the Women4Women Network on Forest and Biodiversity.