Farmers Shift To Environmentally-friendly Agro-forestry

The US delegation and program coordinator for the Trees for the Future in Cameroon encourages farmers with incredible efforts to adopt and implement sustainable agroforestry systems in their farms through certification awards. 
Some farmers in the North West Region have shown appreciable interest in the practice and implementation of agro-forestry; the planting of trees, crops and rearing of animals on the same piece of land. 
These farmers after receiving motivation and sensitisation on the need to shift from the unsustainable practice of agriculture with chemical fertilizers to increase crop yields to a more environmentally friendly and sustainable type, have actually reasoned with, and adopted this new agricultural practice.
Shu, a farmer and delegate of the Agrocomlpex Resource Centre in Mambu-Bafut, Mezam Division, on January 14, 2014, said he is proud and feels satisfied practising agro-forestry.
He said he has noticed a great change in his crop yields since he started implementing this new agricultural system. 
Shu also added that he will prefer to work in his farm rather than being employed to work for the government as a civil servant for a salary of 250.000 frs frs.
The Cameroon Program Coordinator for the Trees for the Future, Dr. Benjamin J. Addlestone, on his third visit to Cameroon under the umbrella of the Trees for the Future NGO to promote agro-forestry found Shu worthy and awarded him a certificate of success and good implementation of agroforestry in his farm.  
The award ceremony was a surprise package void of speeches but gradually was an amazing and encouraging gesture from the Trees for the Future Program Coordinator to the local farmer. 
The occasion was graced by John F. Munsell, associate professor and forest management extension specialist from Virginia Tech college of Natural Resources and Environment also on his third trip to Cameroon researching on farmer’s reactions towards the benefits and challenges in practising agroforestry. 
Agro-forestry students from the institute of Biodiversity and Non-Profit Studies (IBiNS) with the ERuDeF Field Assistant, Neba Kingsly, were also present to witness and approve this award.
The farmer expressed delight and satisfaction after receiving this certificate saying, “I feel happy and honoured to receive this certificate and it is a great surprise for me.” 
He also added that he will continue to practise and encourage his fellow farmers to adopt agro-forestry system for sustainable soil management and environmentally friendly practices.
Nevertheless, Shu noted that there are some difficulties implementing agro-forestry system especially at the initiation phase which usually take some time for trees to grow and start producing benefits. 
During this initiation phase, the farmer has to put in tremendous efforts and spend more time in his farm though without realising immediate significant output. This, he said, is a great challenge for farmers who get introduced into the system for the first time but he further personally noted that it is a promising, highly beneficial and less tedious practise when farmers do what is required and respect the norms of the system.