Agriculture: Improved maize records increasing yield in South West

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is on a positive path in its pursuit for food security in the country through diverse programmes.

The National Programme of Support for the Maize Sector, (French acronym PNAFM), is upbeat with continuous increase in productivity since 2006 when the programme was created.

Meeting at IRAD Ekona on Thursday, July 30, 2015, paper presentations from all the 10 Regions of Cameroon depicts encouraging trends. Opening the first semester sector meeting for 2015, South West Regional Delegate for Agriculture and Rural Development, Enang James Enang says there has been significant increase of improved maize seeds from 34 tons in 2013 to 183 tons in 2014.

He noted that the successful result is thanks to the Muyuka Maize Seeds Processing Unit that serves the South West and the Littoral Regions. “We have distributed these maize seeds to all the six divisions of the South West and are presently evaluating the number of farmers which we touch,” he indicated.

Despite the insecurity in the Far North Region, the Focal Point of that region said many farmers still come to the delegation for maize seeds collection for eventual planting.

The National Coordinator for PNAFM, Alphonse Nti Bilinga, says the aim of the program is to capitalize on maize production to ensure food security. He indicated that if 200 tons of maize is given out during a crop season, the expectation for the following year is between 600 –800 tons of maize seeds.

All has not been a bed of roses with some farmers still holding very firm to their traditional farming methods. Changes in climate and the inability of farmers to get all the necessary inputs like fertilizers are downplaying the effort of the programme as indicated by the coordinator from the North West, Che Isaac Toh.