Competitive Counterpart Fund (MGF) for Climate-Resilient Value Chains
Boost sustainable production in quality and quantity of maize by mobilizing, strengthening capacities, and establishing commercial partnerships to support the economic and environmental resilience of women and youth producer organizations in the Central Region of Cameroon
Targeted communities:
- Edom (after Akonolinga)
- Ndzeng (Near Mbalmayo)
- Minta ( after Nanga Eboko)
- Ndikinimeki
- Messondo (After Esseka)
The specific objectives of the project are as follows
- Strengthen the technical and managerial capacities of cooperatives so that they can develop effective services for the benefit of their members for the sustainable production of corn.
- At least 400 tons/year of corn are produced by the cooperative and collected by the Eco Trading from the first year of the project.
- Ensure the sale of productions through guaranteed fair trade partnerships and support for the organization of harvesting, storage, transport, and evacuation of productions.
Key performance indicators as follows:
- 1000 participants successfully trained in entrepreneurship (FBS, CBS FBS-Climate) of which 50% are women and 60% are youth.
- Targeted increase in productivity of at least 29% (yield per hectare increasing from 3.5 tons/ha to 4.5-6 tons/ha)
- Increase in the number of members of the producers' organization by 40% (60% of women and 50% of youth).
- Average increase of 25% in income from supplying micro and small agricultural enterprises per organization of which 60% are women and 50% are youth. At least 400 tons/year of corn produced by the cooperative and collected by EcoTrading.
- 12,000 useful tree seedlings planted in fields.
- 1000 jobs in primary production/transformation and services (disaggregated) of which 60% are women and 50% are youth.
Project duration: 2 years (June 1, 2024 – May 31, 2026)
Implementation Methods
The project aims to support 30 groups and associations that are members of the COOP –Center cooperative spread across 5 municipalities in the Center region (Endom, Ndikinimeki, Dzeng, Mimta, and Messondo).
- In each of the five (05) municipalities where the member producers of the cooperative are located, a Farmer Field School (FFS) will be established as a participatory development tool based not only on the training of producers but also on strengthening their capacity to make decisions regarding the integrated management of their fields in the agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions that are theirs, using learning techniques developed by non-formal adult education (andragogy).
- These agricultural fields made available by groups of a minimum of 5 to 10 hectares will also have a production (profitable) purpose. Producers will be trained in small groups of 20-30 to then manage their own production under the supervision of agricultural facilitators and/or trainers certified by GIZ. (FBS Climate, CBS,…) for production following agro-ecological practices (reduction of chemical fertilizers, planting species of leguminous trees for protection and soil enrichment,…).
- The collection/purchase and transport circuit of the production to specific points will be organized by Ecotrading in synergy with the cooperative according to an agreed schedule and frequency. Ecotrading will facilitate upstream commercial partnerships with feed stores.
The municipalities are the local institutional partners of the project with close synergies
being sought to maintain the link and ensure the scaling up of the project's achievements.
The increase in production volume will be linked not only to the improvement of
production yield but also especially to the mobilization of more producers, particularly young
volunteers within the target municipalities. In each municipality, a seed field will be established
with the support of IRAD as part of the synergy with the Agricultural Production Strengthening
Project of Cameroon (PARPAC) from the AfDB.