What Foundation for Environment and Development in Cameroon does

Foundation for Environment and Development in Cameroon (FEDEC) is a non-profit trust fund registered under Dutch law at the Chamber of Commerce of The Hague in March 2001, with operational headquarters in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and public utility status granted by Presidential Decree No. 363 of 16 November 2001. It was created as a provision of Volume 4 of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project, backed by the World Bank, the Government of Cameroon, and the Cameroon Oil Transport Company (COTCO), which seeded the foundation with an initial USD 3.5 million endowment deposited in a blocked CITIBANK New York account in September 2001.

FEDEC's mandate is to channel environmental compensation funding into two program streams: biodiversity conservation across approximately 826,607 hectares of protected areas spanning four national parks (Campo Ma'an, Mbam et Djerem, Deng Deng, and Vallée du Mbéré — roughly one-fifth of Cameroon's total protected area surface) and social development for vulnerable Bakola/Bagyeli indigenous populations along the 120 km Kribi-Bipindi-Lolodorf corridor. Conservation delivery is executed through implementing partners including the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF, Campo Ma'an), the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS, Mbam et Djerem since 2003), WWF, and Zoo de Granby. Social programming runs through the PPAV framework with five components — education (including the Ngoyang mixed boarding home and student sponsorship), health, citizenship/land rights, agriculture and income-generating activities, and a community radio service (Radio Nkuli Makeli, FM 102.4 MHz, broadcasting in 10 languages). The 2024 addition of the FABLAB Radiolab de Kribi (funded by Orange Foundation) extended activity into digital fabrication training.

The business model is grant-based rather than commercial. Revenue streams are: (i) management and disbursement of the COTCO environmental compensation endowment as grants to implementing agencies, (ii) project-based funding from international development partners (IFAD/FIDA, GEF/SGP/UNDP, Cuso International, Orange Foundation, Zoo de Granby, Canal Plus), and (iii) public donations and student sponsorship via the fedec.cm website. Pricing is not applicable as FEDEC does not sell products or services. FEDEC is governed by a Board of Directors that includes representation from the Ministry of Forests and Wildlife (since January 2014); Anne Virginie EDOA serves as Executive Director.

Name

Foundation for Environment and Development in Cameroon

Legal name

Foundation for Environment and Development in Cameroon (FEDEC)

Website

https://fedec.cm

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Foundation for Environment and Development in Cameroon (FEDEC) is a non-profit trust fund managing environmental compensation from the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline to fund biodiversity conservation across ~826,607 hectares of national parks and social programs for Bakola/Bagyeli indigenous communities in southern Cameroon.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Environmental Trust Fund / Conservation & Community Development

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Agriculture & Food Security Development (BPAGABAB)

Keywords

• Environmental compensation fund
• Biodiversity conservation programs
• Indigenous community development
• Protected area management
• Community radio broadcasting

Headquarters

HQ city

Yaoundé

HQ country

Cameroon

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Environmental Compensation Funding: FEDEC's primary revenue mechanism is environmental compensation funding generated from the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project. As a provision of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for the pipeline, FEDEC receives and manages compensation funds allocated by the Cameroon Oil Transport Company (COTCO), with World Bank backing. These funds are deployed as grants to implementing partner organizations for conservation and community development activities.
2. Donations and Sponsorship: FEDEC accepts public donations through its website and operates a student sponsorship program (Parrainer un Elève) through which donors can support the education of Bakola/Bagyeli children by covering school fees and supplies.
3. Partner Funding: FEDEC receives project-based funding from international development partners including FIDA/IFAD, GEF/SGP/UNDP, Cuso International, and others for specific programs such as climate resilience, COVID-19 response, and community forest management.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FEDEC is a non-profit trust fund foundation that manages environmental compensation funds from the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project and deploys them as long-term financial support for biodiversity conservation across four Cameroon national parks and for the social development of vulnerable Bakola/Bagyeli indigenous populations. Its operational assets include the PPAV social program, the Ngoyang mixed boarding home, Radio Nkuli Makeli community radio, the FABLAB Radiolab de Kribi, a student sponsorship program, and field-delivered programs in education, health, citizenship, agriculture, and conservation.

Product overview

FEDEC operates as a foundation providing long-term financial support for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development of local communities in Cameroon. The organization manages a portfolio of environmental conservation programs (national park development and protection for Campo Ma'an, Mbam and Djerem, Deng Deng, and Vallée du Mbéré covering approximately 826,607 hectares) alongside social development initiatives for vulnerable indigenous populations. Key services include the PPAV social program with five components (education, health, citizenship, agriculture/income generation, community radio), the FABLAB Radiolab digital fabrication center, Radio Nkuli Makeli community radio, student sponsorship, and the Ngoyang mixed residential home. FEDEC functions as a trust fund mechanism of the Chad-Cameroon pipeline project's Environmental Management Plan, channeling compensation funds to conservation and community development activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Radio Nkuli Makeli A non-profit community radio station operated by FEDEC in Kribi, broadcasting on FM 102.4 MHz in 10 languages (French, English, Kola, Gyeli, Mbvumbo, Mabi, Fang, Ewondo, Batanga, Bassa'a) with programs covering news, education, health, agriculture, environment, culture, and human rights. It serves indigenous (Bakola/Bagyeli) and local Bantu communities in southern Cameroon.
• FABLAB Radiolab de Kribi A digital fabrication laboratory inaugurated on May 24, 2024, offering young people training in digital manufacturing skills using tools such as 3D printers and laser cutters. Funded by Fondation Orange, the Radiolab promotes innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic autonomy for youth in Kribi, serving both Bantu and Bagyeli communities.
• PPAV - Plan pour les Peuples Autochtones Vulnérables (Plan for Vulnerable Indigenous Peoples) A comprehensive social development program supporting Bakola/Bagyeli indigenous populations through five components: Education (improving school access, supporting Ngoyang mixed home), Health (medical care, disease awareness, traditional midwife training), Citizenship (land rights, identity documents), Agriculture and Income-Generating Activities, and Community Radio. The 120 km-long intervention zone follows the Chad-Cameroon pipeline right-of-way along the Kribi-Bipindi-Lolodorf road axis.
• Campo Ma'an National Park Conservation Program Environmental compensation and conservation program for Campo Ma'an National Park (264,064 hectares, created 2001) in southern Cameroon near the Atlantic Ocean. Supports protection, anti-poaching campaigns, ecological monitoring of flagship species (elephants, gorillas), and ecotourism development in partnership with African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), WWF, Zoo de Granby, and Université Concordia.
• Mbam and Djerem National Park Development Program Long-term financial support program for Mbam and Djerem National Park (416,512 hectares, created January 2000) spanning Adamaoua, East, and Centre regions of Cameroon. Implements park protection, anti-poaching, boundary security, conservation capacity building, wildlife monitoring, and environmental education in partnership with Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) since 2003.
• Student Sponsorship Program Educational sponsorship program supporting Bakola/Bagyeli children aged 4-14 years in accessing schooling, covering tuition fees and school supplies. Supports students enrolled at Christ Roi College in Obout and Don Bosco College in Ebolowa, with documented beneficiaries pursuing careers in engineering, medicine, journalism, and finance.
• Ngoyang Mixed Home Residential educational facility opened in 1994, located 15 km from Lolodorf on nearly one hectare. Accommodates approximately 100 Bakola/Bagyeli children aged 4-14 who attend Ngoyang nursery and elementary school, providing accommodation, meals, childcare, education, and integration with Bantu children. Operates with a boarding school teacher, caretaker, storekeeper, and two cooks.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,300+ beneficiaries reached through programs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Zoo de GranbycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Zoo de Granby (Canada, founded 1953) launched a conservation project in Cameroon in 2015 in partnership with FEDEC at Campo Ma'an National Park. The partnership aims to have a real impact on the survival of elephant and gorilla species in the wild, with five objectives: equip eco-guards to fight poaching, facilitate ecological monitoring of gorillas, resolve human-elephant conflicts, support education programs with local communities, and promote local development initiatives. The fundraising target for this project is 200,000 CAD (87,000,000 FCFA).
• Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWCS has been the executing agency for FEDEC's programs at Mbam et Djerem National Park since 2003. WCS implements park protection, anti-poaching, boundary securing, capacity building for conservation services, wildlife monitoring, and environmental education programs on behalf of FEDEC.
• African Wildlife Foundation (AWF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAWF is the implementing agency for FEDEC's Campo Ma'an National Park conservation programs across five main areas: park protection and security, anti-poaching campaigns, monitoring of flagship wildlife species, ecological and socio-economic research, and eco-tourism development.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWWF is listed as a partner for the Campo Ma'an National Park conservation project, alongside AWF, Zoo de Granby, and the Cameroonian Ministry of Forests and Wildlife.
• Ministry of Forests and Wildlife (MINFOF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMINFOF is a key government partner that co-opted onto FEDEC's Board of Directors in January 2014. The ministry oversees all protected area activities and works with FEDEC on park management, conservation service capacity building, and biodiversity monitoring.
• Université Concordia (Canada)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversité Concordia is listed as a partner for the Campo Ma'an National Park conservation project, contributing to ecological and socio-economic research and monitoring activities.
• Cuso InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCuso International signed a partnership agreement with FEDEC on November 16, 2020, to support capacity-building activities. Cuso International provides volunteer support to FEDEC's programs.
• ENEO CameroonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerENEO, the electricity company, partnered with FEDEC to donate agricultural equipment to the Kribi area as part of the Radiolab and community development initiative.
• ASCOVIMEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFEDEC partnered with ASCOVIME organization to organize a free treatment campaign for patients in Bipindi, supporting healthcare access for indigenous communities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): World's largest conservation organization with active Cameroon and Congo Basin programs (also listed as a minor FEDEC partner at Campo Ma'an). Comparable incumbent operating in the same geography with a much broader programmatic portfolio.
• The Nature Conservancy: One of the largest global conservation organizations with broad portfolio of protected-area, freshwater, and climate programs. Comparable as a much larger incumbent operating with overlapping mission but at a global, diversified scale rather than FEDEC's Cameroon-specific focus.

Direct peers

• Peace Parks Foundation: Facilitates transfrontier conservation areas in southern Africa with a trust fund-style financing model. Comparable to FEDEC in building durable conservation financing vehicles that channel institutional donor funds into protected area management and community development.
• Conservation International: Global conservation organization with significant Cameroon and Congo Basin programming and expertise in biodiversity finance mechanisms. Comparable peer given overlap in geography, mission, and engagement with indigenous communities.
• Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): Global conservation NGO that is both a peer (similar protected-area programs in Cameroon and Congo Basin) and FEDEC's implementing partner at Mbam et Djerem since 2003. Directly comparable in mission, geographic focus, and park-management approach.
• African Parks: Manages protected areas across Africa under long-term public-private partnership agreements. Comparable to FEDEC in operating model: a dedicated fund/management vehicle supporting national parks, conservation financing, and community engagement at scale across the continent.
• Fauna & Flora International: Biodiversity conservation NGO with active programs in Central and West Africa on species protection, habitat management, and indigenous community partnerships. Closely aligned with FEDEC's combination of biodiversity and indigenous community programming.
• Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF): Biodiversity-focused grantmaking fund supporting civil society and indigenous community organizations across biodiversity hotspots. Closely comparable to FEDEC in operating as a grantmaking vehicle channeling institutional donor capital into on-the-ground conservation and community work.
• African Wildlife Foundation (AWF): Africa-focused conservation NGO implementing FEDEC's Campo Ma'an program. Directly comparable as a peer operating conservation, anti-poaching, and community development programs across African protected areas, including within the same Cameroonian landscape.
• Congo Basin Forest Fund: Multi-donor trust fund financing forest conservation and community development across the Congo Basin — the same region where FEDEC operates. Strongest direct peer in terms of trust-fund-meets-Congo-Basin-conservation mandate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sitefedec
• Facebookfacebook.com/FondationFEDEC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondation-pour-l-environnement-et-le-d%C3%A9veloppement-au-cameroun-fedec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Foundation for Environment and Development in Cameroon