Agro-forestry Farmer’s Network To Get Agribusiness Training

The Meme Agro-forestry Farmers’ Network will receive training from the Cameroon Program of US Charity, Trees for the Future, on how to develop agribusiness come November 2014.

Limbi Blessing T        

The training that will be given by US Peace Corps Lauren Jessup is expected to help farmers stand on their own.

The Meme Agro-forestry Farmer’s Network comprises over 10 farmers’ common initiative groups in Meme Division, South West Region, with the common goal of incorporating trees into their farmlands.

With the technical support of Trees for the Future, the farmers have been practising agro-forestry for over five years.

Using the leaves of some tree species such as Caliandra and Acacia, they have been able to improve the quality of their soils and at the same time increase yields.

The farmers expressed the desire to take farming to another level by engaging in agribusiness development.

This new vision is in line with the government of Cameroon’s policy of Second Generation Agriculture.

The first big project they intend to engage in is the chilli pepper project, which involves the transformation, processing and large-scale marketing of fresh pepper.

With such innovation, the network reorganised early in 2014 with a new exco and could be said to be waxing stronger than ever before.

The network has picked up tremendously and now meets every fortnight with at least one training session every meeting.

In their plan of action for this third quarter, they have earmarked trainings on the growing and processing of Moringa, composting, grafting, marcotting and aquaculture amongst others.

According to the President of the network, Eseme, the revival is due to a number of factors; the new exco is more vibrant given that women and youths are adequately represented.

“The women have been very instrumental in bringing the network back to life.  The youth wing is also very vibrant,” said Eseme, adding that they have come up with a good project proposal for the production and sale of chilli pepper and the exco will convene in mid-October to review strategies to raise money for the project. 

Esme said they are also thinking of setting aside targets in terms of the number of trees to be transplanted by each CIG given that tree planting is their primary activity.