This document discusses ways that poverty can be reduced, including through empowering citizens, prioritizing infrastructure and utilities, encouraging civil society organizations, encouraging private sector involvement, reforming trade rules, improving access to financing, and holistically addressing issues through a sustainable development approach. It argues that poverty can be significantly reduced by governments creating an enabling environment for citizens, and that civil society and private organizations have important roles to play in filling gaps. However, it notes that poverty will only end if approaches are holistic and urgent. The document contains several subsections discussing topics like how mini-livestock farming can help alleviate poverty.

1. Global Partnership
Tower
Can Poverty end soon? Yes if
there is the will and there is
harmonization of what is pov-
erty. If only monetary indica-
tors or rights based approaches
are used without a correspond-
ing sociocultural or subjective
index it may not be effectively
put to rest as it may be what
some think is poverty as
against what others think is
poverty. Despite this, poverty
can significantly be reduced if
the following actions are put in
absolute focus:
Governments must seek to
empower their citizens by cre-
ating an enabling environment
for peace, business, invest-
ments and for infrastructural
development. If access to edu-
cation, health care, good trans-
port systems, energy and com-
munication devices are priori-
tized more people will set up
income generating ventures
and many more will live better
or move out of poverty.
More so, civil society organiza-
tions must be encouraged and
funded to compliment govern-
ments where there are gaps.
They can also be rightful stake-
holders for impact investors or
private capital firms to include
for ideation, incubation, part-
nership or start up. In Africa
this is vital.
Besides the private sector must
be encouraged to play a more
active role in services provision
where possible while maintain-
ing necessary checks to ensure
that the culture of profit at all
cost does not define the politi-
cal economies in places like
Africa and the developing
world mediated by needs.
Besides trade between nations
or trading rules must be re-
formed to ensure fairness and
competitiveness in global mar-
kets so as to spur industrializa-
tion and the development of
value chains in various sectors.
If people have markets for
transformed primary products,
industrialization is sure to fol-
low. Then jobs creation will
follow.
This must tally with infrastruc-
tural development, improve-
ment of access to basic utilities
as well as improvements in
financing instruments which as
of now are arguably too bur-
densome for poor and middle
classes due to conditionalities.
In short, all hands especially
the hands of policy makers and
financial institutions must now
seek to do business that can
impact more while not neglect-
ing the old traditions of doing
business for profits. This will
work well when major issues
like climate change, environ-
mental sustainability and gov-
ernances are merged with busi-
ness design and delivery espe-
cially in this era of the Sustain-
able Development Goals
(SDGs). But can poverty end
soon? Yes if approached holis-
tically and no if the urgency of
the approach is diluted..
Ivo Arrey Mbongaya
Director at African Centre for
Community and Development
Can Poverty End Soon? By Ivo Arrey Mbongaya
African Centre for Community and DevelopmentGlobal Partnership
Tower
01.07/2018
Can Poverty End Soon 1
Can Mini-livestock help
in the alleviation of pov-
erty
2
Why you should farm
Mini-Livestock in Part-
nership with African
Centre for Community
and Development
3
Pa Foncham Francis
doing great in Agroforestry
3
Social and Business Capi-
tal Mobilization at the
ACCD
4-5
Art and Design 6-7
Inside Story 6
Inside this issue:
Special points of in-
terest:
 SDGs
 Investment
 Business
 ESG
 Poverty
 Business
 Civil Society
 News
 Art
 Photography
 Tourism
 Environment
 Culture
 Development
 Education
 Communication
 Humanities

2. Mini-livestock is a group name for small indigenous vertebrates and invertebrates which are produced sustainably for food, animal
feed and as a source of income. Among these species, bush rodents, guinea-pigs, frogs, giant snails, manure worms, insects and
many other small species have been tried across diverse cultural groups in Africa, Latin America, Asia and even parts of Europe.
These species are suitable for backyard family production even though recent studies justified by global increases in population as
well as food insecurity hint on the need to produce them in both family backyard designs as well as in large scale depending on
needs. Also mini-livestock also referred to as ‘micro-livestock’ or ‘unconventional livestock can significantly help in improving
food security (Hardouin et al., 2003) and includes vertebrates with huge potentials or meat given varieties such as edible bush ro-
dents: in Africa Thryonomys (cane rat), Cricetomys (giant rat), Atherurus (brushtailed porcupine); in the Mascareignes Tenrec
(tangue); in Latin America Hydrochoerus (capybara), Dasyprocta (agoutis), Myocastor (coypu), Agouti (pacas) and Cavia porcellus
(guinea-pig) which is widely bred and eaten in South America. Invertebrates considered as micro-livestock include widely eaten-
Giant snails like Archachatina which constitute preferred diet for several millions across Africa and is also an agricultural activity in
the region. Some Caterpillars are produced across many African countries for food and are exported as both a rich source of protein
and a delicacy or general food item to many parts of the world. In this light, it can be argued that to reduce dependence on threatened
and endangered wildlife relevant stakeholders can step up production of mini-livestock especially in those regions facing critical
extinction of species like elephants , rhinos, Great Apes etcetera as a result of poaching for food. Mini-livestock can by the same
logic help build resilience and food security in families with low access to proteins or facing issues of embedded poverty.
Apart from positive points on Mini-livestock intimated above, it is vital to vulgarize use of these species for the following reasons :
• To begin with, tested and successful breeding of mini-livestock has been registered in areas where the species are endemic hence
having necessary or appropriate feed for the livestock is not a risk factor in any business or project. Availability of feed for livestock
also permits the farmer or household to cut costs or strategize in increasing stock by cultivating local species used in feeding some of
the species. Elephant grass for instance can be farmed across many countries in Africa to take care of species like cane rats or other
bush rodents. Producing local feed for livestock helps to reduce dependence on imported feed which is favourable to balance of pay-
ment across countries in the developing world..
• More so small size of mini-livestock animals helps in scaling production to suit needs hence more flexibility in that families or
households can simply spend on space for animals as a relation of space they have in their back yard or in relation to their incomes or
strategic plan.
• Mini-livestock including some rodent species are fast breeders and can guarantee continuous access to proteins in families and be
an alternative income generating activity in that excess production can always be supplied or sold as food to neignbours or to poten-
tial new farming households willing to try the tested successful business and food security activities of their neignbours. Replicabil-
ity also helps in maintaining quality genestock in local communities.
• Mini-livestock production is a viable device that can help reduce poverty among vulnerable sub-populations like women and
youths. Women are generally managers of food related activities in Africa and many other global cultures. They being close to the
kitchen and the needs of the family helps them or puts them in a better position to handle food security and alternative income
mechanisms in families while youths can also generate income from these species where employment is low or even to support their
education. This can incidentally help in curbing migrations engineered by poverty, food insecurity or unemployment that has been
widely registered across the Horn of Africa, the Sahel of Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa in general.
 Mini-livestock being small species can be farmed in the city centres with dense populations hence act as boosters in reducing
city dependence on rural areas for food. This will help to reduce dependence on wildlife from rural areas hence better conserva-
tion of species as it will open rural areas to possible tourism instruments in the area of ecotourism or park and hotel development
hence reducing internal income gaps between rural and urban areas as such instruments come with more income sources and
employment for families when they are inclusive and sustainably managed.
It is hoped that impact investors and other relevant investors may find the need to empower relevant stakeholders across the globe and in
Africa in particular to farm mini-livestock as they can significantly improve food security, create employment, generate alternative in-
comes for families and are endemic to many areas of the globe hence easy to be farmed and fed.
Can Mini-livestock help in the alleviation of Poverty by Arrey Mbongaya Ivo

3. African Centre for Community and Development has carried out livestock and mini-livestock farming in Camer-
oon. It has documented these interventions which included the farming of Giant snails of the Achatina species.
There are many reasons why investors and relevant stakeholders can partner with or fund the organization in the
area of large scale mini-livestock production in Africa and Cameroon in particular. They include:
 Firstly the organization has farmed Achatina snails, quails and documented the practices of local farmers. It
has documented the habits of these species, their reproductive biology, morphology etcetera and published
interesting articles and multimedia in her You Tube channel on some of her findings including processes in the
identification of Achatina snail egg species, on how to wash them for cooking as well as diverse forms of
cooking the species. This is vital for start ups and also for business value chain development in the species.
 Also the organization is offering farm space, for investors to raise relevant species of their choice in Cameroon
under her Green Cradle agroforestry and agricultural initiative. Interested stakeholders can leverage on the
farmland/her species including snails, its bamboo and other natural building blocks to develop large scale
farms in cane rats, bush rodents, snails, fresh water fisheries and all vertebrates and invertebrates that consti-
tute mini-ivestock including worms, insects, edible frogs etcetera in a region with high dependence on threat-
ened wildlife or Bushmeat like elephants, raptors , Great Apes etcetera for food and traditional medicine as
well as facing food insecurity and her various incidences including stunting, malnutrition, hunger and conflicts.
 More so the organization has conducted research on the subject and other related fields which is vital in pro-
ject design and implementation or for business development. This is accompanied by sound local situational
and market intelligence and data as well as a strong capacity to mobilize social capital locally and across social
media to adapt or adopt mini-livestock species as viable protein sources and income generating devices.
It is hoped that international NGOs, impact investors , research stations and businesses/entrepreneurs will work
closely with the organization to develop businesses in the farming and breeding of these species in Africa with
over 1.2 billion mouths to feed as well as in Sub-Saharan Africa with annual population growth rate of 2.6 percent.
Why you should farm Mini-Livestock in Partnership with African Centre for Community and Development
Youth farmers and gatherers of snails working
with African Centre for Community and Devel-
opment taking a bite after gathering or harvesting
snails endemic at the Green Cradle Project of
African Centre for Community and Develop-
ment in Cameroon.
Bags of snails endemic at the Green Cradle Project
of African Centre for Community and Develop-
ment harvested. Invest with the organization in
diverse fields of agriculture and livestock keeping.
Contact ivo@africancentreforcommunity.com or
arreymbongayaivo@gmail.com or oldboyar-
ret@yahoo.com or ivoemmanuelarrey@yahoo.com

4. At over 70 and still very strong,
Pa Foncham Francis is a not
only an agro-forester but a
strong force to emulate across
Cameroon and Africa. Being a
practitioner in areas like bee
keeping, cane rat farming, goat
farming, tree farming, quail
farming, spices farming etcet-
era, African Centre for Com-
munity and Development
taught it wise to focus on his
works as a strong pillar for
nation and regional environ-
mental and business develop-
ment. It is important to work
with such figures as they are
invaluable assets in:
 Developing start ups and
value chains in their rele-
vant fields,
 In building the capacities
of vulnerable segments
like women, youths,
SMEs, NGOs etcetera and
in handing down knowl-
edge and tested practices
on
what works in eco-friendly
businesses. It is hoped
that more people will see
need in working with him
and organizations like
African Centre for Com-
munity and Development
that are leading in promot-
ing and shaping green
businesses in Cameroon
and the globe.
 Bamboo can be an alterna-
tive to depleted timber
species in tropical rainfor-
ests. With sound techno-
logical training or capacity
building it can be used in
diverse areas of construc-
tion and engineering.
 More so, bamboo is the
There are many bamboo spe-
cies and thousands of uses of
bamboo registered globally. In
Africa with an estimated 14
million hectares of untapped
bamboo, the species can be the
way forward for many. This is
justified by the following rea-
sons:
fastest growing grass spe-
cies. Its growth rate posi-
tions it as a better device
to be used in areas like the
making of charcoal, bri-
quettes or even bamboo
bikes now proven to be
very effective, produced in
Ghana and sold globally.
Pa Foncham Francis...a force to emulate
Bamboo, the way forward for many
Pa Foncham Francis (left) talking
agroforestry and business with Foun-
der and Director at African Centre
for Community and Development
Pa Foncham Francis talking about
the Bread Fruit and Agroforestry
in an Interview with Arrey Mbon-
gaya Ivo of African Centre for
Community and Development
Gnetum Africanum or Eru
which is manin staple in the
country.
Other activities include the
farming of quails, cane rats,
planting of timber species,
medicinal plants, spices etcet-
era.
Recently the prolific agrofor-
ester talked with Ivo Arrey
Mbongaya, Founder and Di-
rector at African Centre for
Community and Development
on his livelihoods strategies
and the various agroforestry
activities he was engaged in as
part of business and develop-
ment activities of the latter’s
organization. Pa Foncham was
very proud to say “agroforestry
pays, and is eco-friendly and
the way forward for families
and communities in Cameroon
and Africa.”
Pa Foncham Francis doing great in Agroforestry
Pa Foncham Francis is an over
70 year old agro-forester doing
extremely well in his field in
Cameroon. He hails from Bali
in the North West of Camer-
oon but is carrying out diverse
aspects of agroforestry across
Cameroon and in the South
West where he runs an agro-
forestry project in which he
has been able to domestic
threatened plant vegetable
“Pa Foncham was very
proud to say
“agroforestry pays, and
is eco-friendly and the
way forward for families
and communities in
Cameroon and Africa.”
Page 4 Global Partnership T ower 01.07/2018

5. Bamboo, the way forward for many...continues..
Social and Business Capital Mobilization at the African
Centre for Community and Development in Pictures...
Social and Business Capital Mobilization at the African
Centre for Community and Development
Team leader at Anji-
Daughtson and Artist
Martilo join Ivo to produce
radio jingle for a school.
 Bamboo can also be used flexi-
bly. They can be used in making
bee hives, as poles in local green-
houses as well as sticks for roast-
ing local meat staples like “Soya”
in Cameroon and Nigeria.
 Bamboo helps in the manage-
ment of soils in fragile ecosys-
tems around watery holes. It is
thus implicated in the general
ecosystem stability of many for-
ested communities in the Congo
Basin and the Amazon or across
Asia. Stable ecosystems are vital
for conservation of species and
maintaining biodiversity espe-
cially in areas that depend mostly
on the forests.
 Besides, furniture made out of
bamboo and rattan are gaining
admiration/business traction
across the globe for their unique-
ness and in a world increasingly
aware of the negative aspects of
depletion of traditional wood
species for fuel which include
climate change, biodiversity loss,
food insecurity and migrations/
conflicts.
Despite the widespread need to adopt
use of bamboo as a viable business
and eco-friendly species, many across
Africa and the globe are not using or investing in the
species in the right levels. An evil attributed to lack of
effective sensitization by governments and the private
sector as well as insatiable demand and dependence on
traditional timber species.
In this light, African Centre for Community and Devel-
opment is calling on investors to develop bamboo re-
lated businesses using her bamboo species in her Green
Cradle project in Cameroon as well as across Africa
home to over 14 million hectares of untapped bamboo.
Corporate social responsibility and impact investing in-
struments must put bamboo farming and transformation
in absolute focus as it is incumbent upon this generation
and future generations to do business with ecological
foot prints as well as to fight climate change.
maintained or is a maintaining
a strong grip on the needs of
organizations, markets and as
well as communities.
The organization is well posi-
tioned after interacting and
talking to thousands to be your
best partner to work with or to
consult with in developing
your projects, businesses and
development/communication
interventions in Africa and the
globe. Work with the best to
bring maximum delivery to
entrepreneurial devices for
development and growth.
African Centre for Community
and Development prides to be
a social and business capital
hub. Many diverse stakeholders
from diverse fields including
agriculture, SDGs, investment
management, business, civil
society, environment, tourism,
research, education, culture
etcetera talk with or follow the
organization. In this light it has
Researchers in community reporting
from ASTI/German University talk-
ing with Ivo Arrey Mbongaya of
African Centre for Community and
Development.
Entrepreneur in agricultural
products and palm wine talking to
Ivo Arrey Mbongaya of African
Centre for Community and Devel-
opment. Power of social capital
mobilization invaluable to business
Women cassava farmers at the
African Centre for Community
and Development talk of their
texted practices and observations
with the crop to Ivo Arrey Mbon-
gaya, Director of the outfit.
“The organization is well
positioned after
interacting and talking to
thousands to be your best
partners to work in
developing your projects,
businesses and
development/
communication
interventions in Africa and
the globe”
Page 5Global Partnership T ower 01.07/2018

6. The Founder and Director at African Centre for Community and Development apart from project planning and management, communi-
cation for development, agriculture, SDGs, impact investments etcetera is also engaged in arts including writing, photography, painting,
storytelling, designing for interiors etcetera. He is available too for professional invitations, collaborations and partnerships. Below are
some of his works. Enjoy as they can be used for diverse industries including textiles, ceramics, carpets, glass, paper bags, wall papers
etcetera. Contact ivo@africancentreforcommunity.com or arreymbongayaivo@gmail.com or oldboyarret@yahoo.com or ivoemmanue-
larrey@yahoo.com
From mythological tattoos to concrete reality, from abstractions to palpable thought and mere beauty, these works bring into conversa-
tion every shade of society and are increasingly relevant to modern schools seeking to redefine the past while upholding the present and
its pathways to the future of arts and human wellbeing or dissatisfaction from the trade. They light every interior and should be apt mas-
terpieces in every home or gallery. They put discussion in the heart of creativity. They bring meaning to furniture.
Artworks by Ivo Arrey Mbongaya
Abstraction the Mother of Creativity by Ivo Arrey Mbongaya
O you photographer
And lost painter
Sail with the boat of Abstraction
And you will find the island of creation
Don’t flinch our Mother
The Earth bestowed this upon us.

7. African Centre for Community and Develop-
ment is a organization engaged in the SDGs,
poverty alleviation, international development,
education, youth and women empowerment ac-
tivities, sustainable agriculture, conservation,
research, agroforestry, communication for
development, tourism, entrepreneurial develop-
ment, cultural/artistic projects relevant to
Cameroon, Africa and the globe. The organiza-
tion has Special Consultative Status at United
Nations Economic and Social Council (UN
ECOSOC) since 2012
African Centre for
Community and Development
C/O Earth Complex Guesthouse
Limbe. Cameroon
P.O. Box 181 Limbe, Cameroon/
Www.africancentreforcommunity.com
Artwork by Ivo Arrey Mbongaya...Available with myriad others for sale, exhibitions, interior décor,
designs etcetera. Contact ivo@africancentreforcommunity.com or arreymbongayaivo@gmail.com or
oldboyarret@yahoo.com or ivoemmanuelarrey@yahoo.com
Phone 00237675673084
Emails
ivo@africancentreforcommunity.com
arreymbongayaivo@gmail.com
SDGs, Investment services, project management, research,
tourism, business, education, environment, agriculture, art,
communication etc
African Centre for Community
and Development
Watch Videos by African Centre for Community and Development
http://youtube.com/user/AfricanCentreforCom
Follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn etcetera