Revitalization and Branding of Rural Communities in Cameroon Using a Circular Approach for Sustainable Development—A Proposal for the Batibo Municipality

Mudoh Mbah,Anna Franz

doi:10.3390/su13126908

Abstract

Rural communities in Cameroon have high levels of poverty, poor living conditions and lagging sustainable development. Lack of economic, social and physical infrastructure opportunities make these communities unsustainable and impact the quality of life for residents. Existing conditions render these areas unattractive for visitors and external and local investors. Initiatives to reduce poverty and improve living standards have had limited impact to reducing poverty or improving quality of life. The recent signing of Cameroon’s decentralization law, giving authority for planning and investments to local council governments now provides an opportunity to rethink existing strategies. Using Batibo, a representative community in the north western region of Cameroon, this paper examines the status of development initiatives and identifies new priorities for planning and steps to improve economic status. Guided by the Theory of Ecological Design and Five Pillars of Economic Development, and using a circular city approach, this paper outlines a concept for town planning and architectural flagship projects that can project the image, culture and heritage of the community and strategies for improving markets. With decentralized governance and re-envisioned priorities, Batibo has an opportunity to become a prototype for sustainable development and model of a quality future in rural Cameroon.

Highlights

To 8.9% but increased from 51.2% to 56.8% in rural areas [2]. This high poverty rate in rural areas according to the IFAD report [2] is evident in the low level of competitiveness, insufficient infrastructure, high and growing unemployment rate, inadequate planning and coordination capacity, rural exodus, and poor governance
With recent changes in the governance system and ability to establish local town plans, this paper proposes a circular city approach for sustainable development, which aims at increasing efficiency and effectiveness through the application of targeted actions on a city’s assets
Ndenecho [16] in his study of Decentralization and Spatial Rural Development Planning in Cameroon noted that the term rural refers to the communities living in the countryside as opposed to people living in the urban centers

Summary

Introduction

Ndenecho [16] in his study of Decentralization and Spatial Rural Development Planning in Cameroon noted that the term rural refers to the communities living in the countryside as opposed to people living in the urban centers. He added that, rural can imply the people living in an administrative unit of a certain defined size or population. Rural can imply the people living in an administrative unit of a certain defined size or population These areas just like most rural areas in developing countries, Ndenecho concluded, are areas with limited services and poor life quality. Just like rural areas in Cameroon discussed by Ndenecho, Duxbury identified problems such as declining and aging populations, problems with youth retention, limited economic and social opportunities for residents, depleting natural resources, loss of local services, and higher costs of living as problems facing rural areas in Canada

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