STRATEGIC HUMANITARIAN
SERVICES (SHUMAS) Cameroon
SHUMAS Agricultural program
By Salliana Fondo
P.O. Box 5047 Nkwen Bamenda
Tel: (+237) 77 75 56 30
Email: shumas_ngo@yahoo.com
Website: www.shumas.org
Program Overview
1. Introduction
2. The Problem
3. Objectives of the program
4. SHUMAS intervention strategies
– Organic farming and training center in Kumbo
– Renewable energies (will be discussed under
environmental program)
5. Challenges
6. Future Plans
Introduction
• Agriculture is therefore the backbone of the
Camerioonian economy
• About 70% of the population live in rural areas
and practice small scale subsistence farming
• The population practice mostly rain-fed
agriculture
• SHUMAS is focused on sustainable rural
development aimed at improving livelihoods,
reducing poverty and empowering people to
realize their potential
The Problems
• Deline in soil fertility
• Low crop yields and low livestock productivity
• Unsustainable farm practices (e.g slash and burn,
very short or no fallow periods)
• Lack of farmer extension services
• Lack of viable seeds and seedlings for farmers
• Uncontrolled/indescriminate application of farm
inputs (chemical fertilizers, pesticides etc)
• Improper management techniques and decreasing
farm sizes
• Climate change issues
Poor crop yields
Objective of the program
• To enhance the income level of small scale
(peasant) farmers in sustainable agriculture
methods, food availability and environmental
sustainability thus contributing to reduce
poverty and hunger in the country
• Train unemployed youths and leaders of
farming communities through the SHUMAS
integrated organic farming and training
center
4. SHUMAS intervention strategy
• We believe that isolated action cannot lead to
any meaningful development
• Hence SHUMAS adopted an integrated and
participatory approach to developing and
empowering rural and peri-urban communities
• SHUMAS trains farmers and unemployed youths
on sustainable integrated organic farming
(mixed farming) through the SHUMAS
Integrated Organic Farming and Training
Center in Kumbo
Partial View of the Organic Farm
(Biofarm), area of about 55 hectares
Why organic farming?
• Organic agricultural practices increases
yields with less external inputs
• It is more resilient to climate change
• It is very simple and easy to carry out
• Organic inputs preserve the soil quality
• Farmers could prepare their own inputs (e.g.
compost) which costs little or nothing
• All or most input are obtainable from the
farm with little or no cost.
What the Center does
• It trains farmers, unemployed youths,
interested farmers, leaders of farming
communities and students on various
sustainable integrated agricultural methods
(composting, agro-forestry, bio-fertilizers,
and integrated livestock farming) and
renewable energy forms (wind energy, Biogas,
micro hydro turbines, solar etc)
Training Duration
• The center offers two major types of courses.
– A long course program that last for 2 years; at the
end the trainees obtain a diploma and 10 months
intensive course where trainees obtain a certificate.
– short modular courses that last from 1 month to two
years
– Even shorter courses of between 3 days and 1 week
for farmers who do not meet the training conditions
• Upon completion of training graduates are
provided loans to enable set up their own farms
and replicate what they have learned.
Training conditions
• People with at least with a FSLC are eligible
• People of ages between 17years to 45 years.
• Training is free. SHUMAS is partnering with
MINADER and MINEPIA under the AFOP
program to train youths free of charge.
Beneficiaries
Youths
Small scale farmers
Study visitors.
Researchers
Students on internship.
Students / pupils on excursion trips could visit
and benefit from the centre.
• Academicians.
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• Volunteers, tourists etc
Different Units of the Organic Farm
•
CROP UNIT
Organic food crop production (potatoes
beans and maize)
•
Off season Gardening (different vegetable
types)
•
Maize and potatoes seed selection unit
•
Medicinal plant garden
Maize Farm
Nursing of vegetable seeds in the farm
Cipira (Solanum potatoes) at 5 Weeks.
Organic tomoatoes and other
vegetables at the Organic Farm
Egg plant at the Organic farm
Animal Unit
•
Cattle rearing.
•
Pig farming
•
Poultry farm(layers, broilers and quails).
•
Small Ruminant (rabbits, goats and sheep) .
•
Fish Farming.
•
Feed Mixing Unit
Different sections of the animal unit
Cattle and Sheep at the Farm
Part of the poultry section
Piggery (maternity section)
Feed mixing unit
Dormitories
Trainees at the farm
Challenges
• The whole area in the organic farm is infested
by bracken Fern.
• The organic (Biofarm) project is a pro poor
project where most participants unable to pay
for the training.
• Biofarm is still young and the resources are
under tapped
• The road leading to the farm is not so good
Clearing the bracken fern is a monthly
issue.
Challenges… Eliminating the bracken fern is not easy. Most of
the labor is still manual with just one tractor in the centre.
Thank you !!!