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Moderated conference on rural advisory services for family farms: 1-18 December 2014

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Wed, 17 Dec 2014 12:14:36 +0100
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This is Ngouambe Nestor, again. 

Agricultural extension in Cameroon started before independency. During that period, agricultural extension was controlled by the colonial administration and was based on two main approaches:
i. Farmer contact approach: where farmers were trained to experience some crops (palm oil, coffee, tea, rubber) to be imported to colonial metropolis.
ii. Visit and trips approach: leading new farmers to learn more through other experimented farmers.

The mains approaches of agricultural extension used in Cameroon since the 1960s were:
i. National extension services approach (NESA) 
ii. Approach centered on specific crops 
iii. Integrated project approach 
iv. Training and visit approach 
v. Advisory approach

Between these main approaches, there were others approaches centered on specific activities, specific categories of farmers and specific zones. We can notice the:
i. Farming systems approach
ii. Land and college approach, also called farmer field school (FFS) 
iii. Research-development-training approach 
iv. Research-action-partnership approach

Main effect of agricultural education institutions in Cameroon: Nowadays, Cameroon has more than 140 schools and instructions for agricultural education among which two higher schools, the Faculty of Agronomy  and  Agricultural Sciences (FASA) and National Higher School for Agro-industry and Alimentary Sciences (ENSAI). We can count 23 public schools which train technicians, 86 public schools for agricultural agents and 26 private schools for both technicians and agents.

Institutions supporting agricultural extension and education in Cameroon: Most of the extension approaches implemented in Cameroon were supported by various types of institutions, national as international. Each institution brought its support according to its vision of extension systems.

Research institutions supporting extension and advisory services in Cameroon:
- Centre de cooperation international pour la Rercherche Agronomique et de développement (CIRAD), a French institute present in Cameroon working with various ministries notably the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation (MINERESI).
- International Institute for tropical Agriculture (IITA), supports extension by two ways: learning and/or training, and dissemination. IITA is more involved in tropical agriculture by developing new genetic material for high variety seeds.
- Research and Development Institute (IRD), a French institute supporting agricultural research and extension in Cameroon. IRD was involving in field demonstration and farmers contact in old extension approach.
- International Agro-Forestery Center (CIFOR) mostly involved in agro-forestery. CIFOR supports farmer in sustainable agriculture and extends new agro-forestery plants notably to cocoa farmers in Cameroon.

Financial institutions:
- World Bank: The most part of funds for Training and visit was provided by the World Bank from 1990 to 2004. The first loan convention was signed in 1990 for the implementation of the National Agricultural Extension and Training Program (PNVFA). This ran from 1988 to 1998 for a total amount of 21 million USD.
- French Development Agency (FDA): The FDA brought, and is still bringing, the essential funding to new extension approaches in Cameroon. This is done through the "Debt-Clearing contract's" (Contrat de Desendettement et de Développement-C2D), agricultural sector. In fact, FDA supports three main extension programs in Cameroon (ACEFA, AFOP and AMO). In 2008, the first phase of AFOP received 7.8 billion FCFA (15.6 million USD) - this phase goes from 2008 to 2012. The second phase has begun in July 2012 until 2014 for a total budget of 48.9 million euros supported in 71% by FDA (61% for C2D grant and 10% for FDA Loan).

Prospects: Agricultural extension in Cameroon must be based on participatory diagnostic of farming family. Farmer education tools must also take into account their school level (both for literate and non-literate farmers). If farmers and their micro-projects are taking into account in extension program, they will better feel themselves involved and considered innovation as their own knowledge. By doing so, appropriation can be easy and ensure sustainability of approaches.

Conclusion: The extension system in Cameroon has faced most problems like exclusion of farmers in decision making process, orientation of farmer's activities for massive extension, lack of skills and good school levels both for farmers and extension agents to better understand approaches. Also, there are insufficient funds for supporting activities in all regions of the country.

I have prepared a draft paper with an analysis of agricultural extension and education approaches in Cameroon since independence, and can send an electronic copy to anyone who is interested.

Ngouambe Nestor
Agricultural Extension officer
Ministry of agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER) 
Programme National de Vulgarisation et de Recherche Agricole (PNVRA) 
BP 46 Dschang
Cameroun
Tel: +237 77 62 41 21 / 79 71 78 09
Skype: manuel.rayan
YPARD Cameroon team: www.ypard.net
AFAAS Cameroon Team: www.afaas-africa.org Cameroon Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (CAMFAAS)
Blogpost:- https://ngouambe.wordpress.com
             - http://agriculture-infos.blogspot.com
e-mail: Ngouambe (at) gmail.com

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