Social enterprise lens focuses on community forest enterprises in Cameroon

Serge found that Community Forest Enterprises (CFEs) play a crucial role in forest management, aiming to combine social well-being, economic development, and environmental sustainability. In pursuing these diverse objectives, they differ from traditional profit-maximising firms and face challenges related to their capacity, performance, and governance.

The study reveals that 63 per cent of CFEs operate as non-profit organisations with income-generating activities, while only 11 per cent could be categorised as social enterprises. The majority perform better on environmental and social dimensions than on economic dimensions. The importance of individual community members' skills and knowledge, and capacities for resource mobilisation and networking were highlighted. Paradoxes in how they perform in social, economic, and environmental dimensions, as well as in belonging and learning, were identified. To develop CFEs into successful social enterprises, significant government engagement and investment in improved rural infrastructure, the entrepreneurial environment, and strengthened capacities and governance are recommended.

Serge was supervised by his promotor Prof Hens Runhaar, and daily supervisors Dr. Marjanke Hoogstra-Klein and Dr. Verina Ingram.

Watch the defence and read his thesis.