[Cameroon] FAO Beans Against Poverty

From All Africa

Emmanuel Kendemeh

The Food and Agricultural Organisation is assisting 33 farming groups in the North and Far North Provinces.

The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has been providing food to famine-affected zones in the Northern part of Cameroon and working to ensure food self-sufficiency and fight poverty. Since 2003, FAO has assisted 33 farming groups, trained close 700 women in the North and Far North Provinces in large scale production of cow pea beans (coki beans) known in the area as "Niébé". This is within the framework of the project dubbed, "the training of farmers in the integrated management for the production and protection of Niébé". It is programmed to last two years, estimated at CFA 200 million.

A workshop took place in Yaounde on Tuesday, December 13 to present the final report and to assess the progress of the project since inception. Leaders of farming groups, facilitators of the project and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development converged during the workshop to assess the path covered and chart the way forward to enable the local population produce the modern variety of cow pea beans in large quantities to boost their economy and livelihood. Activities at the workshop took the form of video projection on the work so far done on the field and talks to build the capacities of the farmers and the project facilitators for more positive results. They learned how to preserve soil fertility for greater productivity, new farming techniques and ways of managing small rural enterprises by introducing farmers to the system of getting access to and managing financial subsidies destined for the project.

Since inception, the technical know how of the local population has been assessed, associations and NGOs in the sector identified and facilitators as well as farmers trained. A test of adaptable variety of seeds has also been done and products to be used in treating the beans tried. All these have been done to enable the farmers analyse the different stages in growing the beans, identify pests and appropriate treatment. The extension phase of the project has been drafted and will be presented to donors for financial assistance.

The Inspector General at the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in charge of Services, Mr Konchou represented the Minister at the workshop. He joined the FAO officials for programmes, Atanga Felicitas to state the importance of cultivating cow pea beans in large quantities so as to alleviate poverty in the areas concerned and boost development.