ISHS Acta Horticulturae 380: Symposium on Tropical Root Crops in a Developping Economy
BRIDGING THE RESEARCH-FARM GAP FOR ROOT CROPS IN ADAMAOUA PROVINCE OF NORTHERN CAMEROON |
| Author: | M.O. Akoroda |
| Abstract:
The gap between the knowledge available through research and what farmers do can only be narrowed by efforts to bring to farmers a few tested items or methods that will ensure better food output or income using the facilities and resources that farmers find in their immediate locality. Adamaoua, Cameroon occupies 62 000 km2 and had a population of 450 000 in 1990. A project was cordinated to improve the welfare of root crop farmers in this area. The approaches included: on-farm trials of the most promising technologies, farmer training courses conducted across the domain of projected influence, and organized multiplication and extensive distribution of propagules of the best improved root crop clones to farmers. All these activities were made possible by the effective liaison and the formation of many contacts with government, church, and development organizations as well as cooperation with the communities involved. A better understanding of the whole system in which the farmers of the area live was always sought. Knowledge of the mechanisms of rural market in converting farm produce into more income for farmers and the local methods of food processing were acquired from surveys and these proved useful in the formulation of more acceptable technologies. That these approaches succeeded during the 1986–1990 period attests to their worth. | |
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