Cameroon - Fonsah Pius Chick - 2016 Graduate
by Fonsah Pius Chick
Community Initiative for Sustainable Environment and Gender Development (CISEGD)
submitted April 2019
Network e-Bulletin No. 4, September 2019
Month by Month
Working with the people
CISEGD Cameroon carries out activities geared toward fighting against hunger, poverty, and the empowerment of women in the community. It has not been easy, as in many situations, our field workers have to move through risky areas as the war in the Northwest and Southwest rages on.
https://gyazo.com/c54fd6b66a35f57fcb567b12ad8c216d
Women farmers group in Batibo
January 2019
A training workshop to brief groups on integrated yam production in Batibo was organized at CISEGD’s head office. The one-day workshop included the Mayor of the Batibo Council speaking about the need for people to do organic farming, a presentation on the basic skills of maize production, basic techniques on beekeeping, and basic skills on poultry farming. Each of the 14 groups that attended the workshop received 25kg of planting maize from IRAD Bambui. Five groups received fifty chicks, and five other groups received bee harvesting equipment, smokers, and bee suits. Moreover, 14 local groups signed a protocol agreement with the organization for continuous collaboration.
Also, in January, we purchased 400 bamboo plants for the demonstration farm, and work continued with the mushroom farm, poultry, and other activities. 2000 palm nuts were put in at the nursery at the demonstration farm.
February 2019
The month of February was another very involved month. We continued visiting groups working with CISEGD Cameroon. Two visits were made to Akwah Women CIG (Community Interest Group) to see their apiary and prepare bokashi for their yam farm. We also held a meeting with the United Sisters CIG of Kwoken and supplied 100 chicks to the group.
https://gyazo.com/c72feb8207693d0f1152eda0faaa4d74
Preparing bokashi for the yam farm
The crisis in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon has made it difficult for palm nuts to be brought in from the Lobe Research Center. Movement to other groups is a nightmare, and the fear of stray bullets is a major challenge. The displacement of people has made labour very costly or scarce.
Construction work on the mushroom house continued including setting up shelves. We are now looking forward to the completion of the roof. The maize farm was tilled and planted, and bokashi has been prepared for application. The half-hectare maize farm is a training ground for organic maize production. We staked the yams on the half hectare field where leguminous trees are also growing.
https://gyazo.com/7f96b9c49a9a21d5e112cf0783146640
Organic maize
We continued work on the well and hope to be completed in April 2019. The 25-meter-deep well will supply water to the entire farm and beyond. This will solve the problem of water scarcity especially during the dry season.
Work continues on the two-thousand palm nursery. We expect to increase the number of palms, as more seeds have been brought in from the Lobe Research Center in the Southwest Region. The nursery attendant is preparing the site for the additional palm nuts while controlling weeds.
March 2019
In March, CISEGD visited one of its leading organic farms in neighbouring Nyenegwi, in Guzang. This is one of those farmers who has taken to organic farming with great interest in many domains. His group, Nyenegwi Multipurpose Farmers CIG received 25kg of planting maize, two beehives and twenty-five 3-week old chicks from CISEGD. They used the chicken manure to prepare bokashi, which they have applied on the maize and is giving very great results.
Another activity of focus this month is the nursery. This other nursery grows non-timber forest plants like “county onion” which is a great income earner in our community but scarce to get. Over one hundred stems are being nursed in the demo farm. We are also using two propagators to multiply plantains at the demonstration farm.
https://gyazo.com/a8e186378284d361016228042843dd1a https://gyazo.com/4ce7ecec0e77d9bd1611c2d3ae8eeb9e
Precious "county onions" & plantain propagation
Work is starting in preparing a pig pen. This will include the cemented floor type I learned in Japan. Work is also continuing on the chicken brooding house with a cement flooring. Bokashi preparation, which is a weekly activity, went on this time with other farmers who came to learn. This is being used on the maize and yam farm.
April 2019
CISEGD Cameroon staff visited the group Ngenmuwa, a very active group that is difficult to reach because of the crisis. Though in a difficult moment, they are able to use bokashi from their poultry to grow yams, maize and ginger. We also visited the Atangha Women who have been battling with the crisis at home and in the bush. As such, it is difficult for them to keep chickens.
https://gyazo.com/611cc68559e861ddc1e1e174d9ba99e9
Poultry rearing
Two groups passed on chicks within their membership in the month of April. The Loving Sisters passed 100 chickens with the coordination of CISEGD while the hunger-fighters group of Aket passed over 50 chickens. Other groups are preparing to do the same in the month of May.
Vegetable planting took place on the demonstration farm with vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, watermelon, cucumbers ,and Irish potatoes. The mushroom house and the chicken house are both near completion. The roof of the mushroom house was constructed and work on the shelves completed. Plastering work on the chicken house is completed.
https://gyazo.com/fc94a0331f7d7c155006e43828f92c84
Mushroom house under construction
----