Empowering Smallholder Farmers in Cameroon

While the percentage of people living in poverty has decreased in urban areas of Cameroon it has increased in rural areas where nearly half of all Cameroonians live. Nearly 6 million rural people, about 55% of the rural population in Cameroon, still live in poverty. Over half of all of men and women employed in Cameroon work in the agricultural sector and this sector makes up 20% of Cameroon’s GDP. The formal education rate in Cameroon sees that only 21% of females have received secondary school education in contrast to 35% of males while 64% of women are participating in the formal labour force compared to 77.4% of men. 1. 100 rural women across three communities gaining literacy skills related to vegetable farming and use of agrochemicals. 2. 100 rural women across three communities to increase their knowledge around land preparation and farming inputs by sharing their knowledge with each other. 3. To increase the business skills of 100 rural women across three communities 4.To establish a co-operative for women farmers. Participatory approaches harnessed throughout the training process and women exchange information regarding both vegetable farming and literacy between each other through group work, improving their knowledge bases. Focus group interviews was used and this created a forum to discuss and agree on the best approaches to use with respect to plant production practices, pest problems, plant protection practices, land preparation and marketing. Focus group facilitators used discussion guide pre-tested in the field before its use in the group interviews. Literacy training focused on knowledge which enable the rural woman to read and write basic information on vegetable farming inputs in newspaper clippings, do the record-keeping for their businesses, measure the farmland and weigh the fertilizers to be applied to the farmland. Literacy sessions was conducted by Pedagogic advisor from the Ministry of Basic Education Cameroon Marketing and Land preparation sessions was conducted by Agricultural Technician and Extension Worker from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, South-West region. Record keeping training sessions was part of the agricultural marketing session and was conducted by Nelly Shella from the Rural Women Development Centre. Donation of farming equipments to women farmers( Cutlass,Hoes, Spraying can ,Hand Pushed trucks and Wheel Barrows)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odfzvrFUkjg 1. 100 rural women using literacy skills to gain access to basic market information related to vegetable farming in local publications, keep records of their sales of vegetable production, measure vegetable farmland and weigh fertilizers to be applied on vegetable farmland. 2. 100 rural women generate an increase in vegetable crop yields of 94% due to optimal use of land and inputs. 3. 100 rural women have a sustained increase of 100% in their average household income to 80,000FRS per month due to improved business and income generation skills. 4. Women vegetable farmers’ network to provide economic cooperation, exchange of market information and ongoing learning opportunities for members. Stakeholder can provide us with more technical information on marine plastic litter - Publications and reports on Marine litter and mitigation strategies - Share our project link and links us to partners - Provide us with networks on marine litter and online training Courses to build our capacities. - Share our project link and links us to partners - information on seminars, workshops and conferences to participate actively to Combat marine plastic litter and waste management.