“If biodiversity conservation is not intentionally and systematically integrated into each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the vision of achieving these goals within the next five years will remain a dream. Biodiversity plays a crucial in enhancing food security, health, climate regulation, water quality, and livelihoods, which are all cardinal to the SDG agenda,” the Executive Director of Voice of Nature (VoNat), Ndimuh Bertrand Shancho cautions.
The VoNat boss made this remark, May 22, 2025, while speaking as a guest on Mountain Echoes, a flagship Talk Show on Divine Mercy Radio and Television (DMRTV) in Buea, South West Region of Cameroon. This edition of the Talk Show was hosted inline with the 2025 International Day for Biological Diversity commemorated on the theme: “Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development”.
As conservationist/journalist, the grassroot biodiversity conservation and sustainable development leader underscores the urgent need to deter biodiversity loss. “Biodiversity is not just about saving species in remote forests,” Mr. Ndimuh emphasized. “It is the fabric that holds together food security, clean water, climate stability, and human health. Every one of the 17 SDGs, whether it is zero hunger, clean energy or poverty reduction depends on healthy ecosystems,” he added.
The Executive Director of VoNat also highlighted ongoing efforts by his organization to conserve endangered primates, large mammals, amphibians, and threatened trees like the Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes ellioti ), Preuss’s Monkey ( Allochrocebus preussi ), Putty-nosed Monkey ( Cercopithecus nictitans ), Forest Elephant ( Loxodonta cyclotis ), Goliath Frog ( Conraua goliath ), Mahogany ( Khaya spp. ) Prunus africana (African cherry) and other across the South West, Littoral, West and North West regions of Cameroon.
By Jabi Kathy Chale