Sustainable Tree Crops Program - Cameroon

Project Dates: Pilot Phase 2003-2006, Phase II 2007-2011

Country: Cameroon

Funders: U.S. Agency for International Development, World Cocoa Foundation and global cocoa industry, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), GTZ/DED

Implementers: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (manager, production, marketing, policy),
SOCODEVI (cooperative development)

Overview

STCP strives to contribute to the improvement of cocoa production both quantitatively and qualitatively in an environmentally-friendly and socially-sustainable manner.  The FAO project for the strengthening of smallholder agribusiness relations aims at improving the producer-buyer linkages for oil palm and cassava-dependent producers and cooperatives in the Center and South West Regions in Cameroon.  The Project for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (PMNR) focused on the protection of the Mount Cameroon Forest Reserve, using cocoa as an income generating activity and building cocoa farmers’ capacity. 

Program Objectives:

• To increase rural income in an environmentally and socially responsible manner
• To promote policy, marketing, processing and production of two tree crops - cocoa and oil palm
• To promote the production and marketing of cocoa and oil palm by-products and associated products
  such as plantain and non-timber forest products
• To develop farmer organizations’ capacity as agribusinesses and agricultural enterprises
• To develop local institutional capacity to provide production and marketing support services

Progress to Date:

• 8,257 farmers trained through Farmer Field Schools. Farmers receive training through the
  participatory Farmer Field School approach which covers topics related to integrated crop and pest
  management as well as quality improvement. To date, a total of 310 facilitators representing the Ministry
  of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER), 12 farmer cooperatives, 2 local non-governmental
  organizations and 2 cocoa-related organizations completed training. An additional 17,735 farmers
  benefited indirectly through farmer-to-farmer dissemination of information.
•  Farmer cooperative-led seedling production & distribution system developed. Experts from the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD) provide technical supervision while STCP facilitates, leads data collection, and provides basic nursery materials. Cooperative technicians and individuals were trained in management of cocoa nurseries (191 people), and other crops (103 people).  Additionally, 9 cooperatives set up oil palm processing, 2 set up mushroom production, 6 set up banana seed funds and 4 linked to national oil palm and banana plantain promoting programs.  Farmer organizations set up 4 seed gardens that will have the capacity to produce 6,000 pods by 2014.
• 10 local NGOs and public structures increased capacity of 12 cooperatives. SOCODEVI’s pilot
  project trained 10 local non-governmental organizations and public entities to assist farmers in
  developing cooperatives. 12 cooperatives have quality control centers with 10 also having mini quality
  labs. 8 cooperatives are linked to a market information system to receive price information by SMS. The
  12 cooperatives are co-funding Farmer Field Schools and 4 are piloting the concept of including
  professional training facilitators as employees of the cooperatives.
• Research highlights. STCP, IRAD and the National Forestry Agency (ANAFOR) are studying a
  farmer-developed cocoa agroforest model with 625 cocoa trees per hectare and 100 associated trees in
  Center Province. Biological control candidates against black pod disease were isolated with small-scale
  participatory field trials showing preliminary results of a 30-50% decrease in disease levels. Larger scale
  trials are now underway. 38 farmer field research plots were established to demonstrate intercropping of
  cocoa with food crops, fruit trees and timber species. 6 intensification demonstration plots were established with INAGROSA, a biofertilizier supplier.

Success Story: Increasing Yields, Reducing Pesticides

Success Story: Sharing the Secrets of Success

Success Story: Ensuring a Future in Cocoa Farming

Sucess Story: Education Has No Age Limit

Success Story: Efficient Use of Inputs Yields Results

Success Story: Farmer Organization Member Increases Yields with Training