Meet Our Members: Sustainable Environment, Ecotourism, and Agricultural Development Organisation (SEEADO)
The Earth’s population is growing and developing at an unprecedented rate, and with it, pressure on our food systems is increasing. Seeing an opportunity to holistically bridge humanitarian goals with environmental sustainability in Cameroon, Dr Kum Christian Teghe co-founded the Sustainable Environment, Ecotourism, and Agricultural Development Organization (SEEADO) in 2013.
Dr Teghe’s research focuses on identifying sustainable agricultural systems and land use practices that can bridge the gap between food security and environmental protection as a way of providing social and ecological justice. His research interest is in estimating and modelling soil organic carbon, greenhouse gas emissions and crop yields from various agricultural farming systems aimed at identifying farming systems that maximize yields and SOC but minimize GHG emissions.
Through his research interests, Dr Teghe and his peers had a natural interest in working on the ground with farmers. SEEADO works with farmers in small communities to build awareness of how land use and sustainable agriculture practices can affect food security, biodiversity conservation, and environmental protection, all with a gender-inclusive lens. They also explore how biodiversity conservation can be a vehicle for ecotourism to benefit the livelihoods of indigenous people.
SEEADO is a non-governmental, non-political and non-profit organization that works to promote a sustainable environment and agriculture, and mainstream ecotourism into conservation for the benefit of people and biodiversity. The objectives of SEEADO include:
To promote a sound and sustainable environment through education, awareness raising, and the use of innovative environmental management techniques.
To introduce and promote sustainable environment-friendly agricultural practices in local communities in Cameroon.
To promote sustainable ecotourism by mainstreaming biodiversity conservation into tourism for the benefit of the local and international communities.
To undertake advocacy, research and studies to improve knowledge and techniques for increased environmental conservation and management, sustainable agriculture, and
ecotourism services.
To carry out outreach programs and activities in order to promote sustainable livelihood in local communities in Cameroon
Since its inception in 2013, and official registration in 2018, SEEADO has been involved in many exciting projects including a comparative analysis of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) systems of Cameroon and the UK in 2013; several research projects in partnership with the University of Buea; an assessment of ground water quality as a source of portable water in Douala- Cameroon in 2014; leading a training of trainers for agricultural extension workers in Cameroon on the use of LandPKS mobile app for improving agricultural productivity and climate change resilience in 2019 with ATPS and Cameroon’s Ministry of Agriculture; and a pilot project on using push-pull technology as an alternative sustainable maize production technique in partnership with the College of Technology, University of Bamenda- in 2020, among others.
SEEADO is always looking forward to more community nature-based conservation projects that would lead to sustainable environments, stable productivity and nature conservation in their local environment. As a new member of CA4SH, their work truly takes a ground-up approach.
SEEADO in Action
