United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Training Workshop on Sustainable Modernization of Agri

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United Nations Economic Commission for
AfricaTraining Workshop on Sustainable
Modernization of Agricultural and Rural
Transformation (SMART) in Africa Central
Africa3-7 August, 2009, Yaounde, CameroonPalm
Oil Production in Cameroon Agricultural Best
Practice 

• David A. Mbah, PhD
• dambah_at_yahoo.co.uk

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Natural Assets (1)

• Population 18,000,000 inhabitants (Africa in
  miniature ecologically and culturally)
• Area 475,442 km²
• - 44.4 forest
• - 32.4 high plateau and guinea savannah
• - 21.1 sudano-sahelian savannah

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Natural Assets (2)

• Arable land 9.2 million ha of which
• - 7.2 million ha are cultivable
• - 2 million ha are pastures
• 26 of cultivable area is cultivated
• 0.9 ha is available for each inhabitant of
  the agricultural population
• Potential irrigable land 240,000 ha 17
  irrigated
• Renewable freshwater resources 16,726 m3 , 74
  abstracted for agriculture

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Natural Assets (3)

• Five agro-ecological zones
• . Humid forest, monomodal rainfall
• . 2,500 4 000 mm/yr
• . 28C
• . Production system plantains/bananas, palm
  oil,
• cassava, cocoa, pepper
• . Humid forest, bimodal rainfall
• . 1,500 2 000 mm/yr
• . 23C
• . Production System cassava, maize, palm oil,
  cocoa,
• pineaples

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Naural Assets (4)

• . High Plateau Savannah
• . 1,500- 2000 mm/yr
• . 180 days rainy season,
• . 20C
• . Production system Maize, beans (dry),
  potatoes (irish), coffee, vegetables, cattle
• . Guinea Savannah
• . 1,500 mm/yr
• . 150 days rainy season
• . 22C
• . Production system Sorghum, millet, maize,
  yams, potatoes (irish), cattle

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• Semi-a(rid (Sudano-sahelian)
• . 400-1200 mm/yr
• . 90 - 120 days rainy season
• . 29C
• . Production System Sorghum, millet, cow pea,
  onion, cotton, cattle, sheep,goats

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Social Environment

• Health
• . HIV/AIDS 5.5 (15-49 yr age group)
• . Life Expectancy 46 yr for males
• 47 yr for females
• - Under 5 malnutrition
  15(90-95) 18(2000-06)
• . Under 5 mortality 139 o (1990) 149o
  (2005)
• Education
• . Primary school completion rate 56(1991)-62
  (2005)
• . Gender parity(ratio in primary secondary
  schools) 84 (2005).
• - Adult literacy rate(15 yr plus)
  67.9(2005)
• Poverty
• - 53.3(59.9 rural)(1996)
  40.2(49.9 rural)(2001)

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Economy (1)

• Green Revolution
• . Launched at National agro-pastoral show at
  Buea in 1973,
• . Periodically from Province to Province within
  the  Production and Productivity Plan  Food
  Self Sufficiency
• . 2nd 5 year plan  Farmers Plan 
• Objectives
• 1. Modernization of agriculture
• 2. Training in agriculture
• 3. Structural changes in agriculture and rural
  environment

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Economy (2)

• Attention paid to
• - farming technologies including seed selection
• - use of fertilizers and pesticides
• - popularization of most productive methods
• - improvement of farm to market communications
• Creation of
• - Food Development Authority(MIDEVIV)
• - Grains Office( Office Cerealier )
• - Rice Production Corporations (Corporation for
  Expansion and
• Modernization of Rice Production, SEMRY,
  UNVDA, Mbo Plain Rice
• Cultivation Development Authority)
• - Wheat Production Corporation
• - Sugar Compaines (CAMSUCO, SOSUCAM)

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• Economy (3)
• - SOCAPALM (in additon to CDC, PAMOL)
• - SODECOTON
• - SODEPA (Meat Plan 1974)
• - Veterinary Phamaceautical Office (OPV)
• - FONADER National Fund for Rural Development
  (1974)
• - Credit Agricole(replaced FONADER)
• - The University Centre, Dschang (Land Grant
  Model?) (for training of Senior and Intermediate
  Cadres in agriculture)(1977)
• - reform of Cooperative Movement
• Impact of Economic Crisis (1986) on the National
  Agro- pastoral shows..

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• Economy (4)
• Contribution to the GDP

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• Economy(5)
• 700 million (2000 constant USD) in 1971 to
  2,500 million USD in 2006( i. e. 3.6 times in
  35 years)
• Its share of the GDP reduced from
• 30 in 1971 to 20 in 2006.
• .  Every Cameroonian has enough to eat (Paul
  Biya, 1984, Ag Show, Bamenda)  but this does not
  mean satisfaction 
• Contribution to export earnings 25.2
• Ave annual growth rate of agriculture 3.8
  (2000-2006)
• Employment (agricultural) 60.3 with women
  constituting 55.4 of labour force
• The growth rate of food production is 3.3
  (1990-92 to 2003-05) while population growth rate
  is 2.5
• Food per person growth rate 0.8

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Palm Oil

• Palm oil was one of the commodities of the
  President Ahidjo Green Revolution(CDC Ref)
• . The only vegetable oil widely known, produced
  and used in Cameroon
• Stable food item in most of the country
• High demand at all times
• Increased production to meet demand at affordable
  cost
• Hence, mobilization at industrial and farmer
  levels

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2. To satisfy the demand, the following problems
are solved

• Low oil palm yield, longivity of exploitation and
  disease/pest tolerance
• Incomplete characterization of the production
  system.
• Insufficient quantities of improved seed
• Little information sharing with partners
• Shortage of palm oil for local consumption
• Food insecurity coupled with vitamine A
  deficiency
• Unemployment at various levels of the value chain
• Poverty, particularly at farmer level

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3. The Process Four steps

• Appropriate Technology Generation Institute of
  Agricultural Research for Development,
  Specialized Centre for Oil Palm Research, La
  Dibamba
• (i) Improved seed by crossbreeding Asian Oil
  Palm (Deli) with African Oil Palm (Pisifera) gt
  Productive adapted hybrid GERMINATED BEFORE
  RELEASE
• With productivity
• 22T/ha (station) gt9-10T/ha(farm)gt4-5T oil/ha/yr
• (ii) Agronomic techniques (adapted
  fertilization, cultural practices, creation and
  exploitation of farms) developed to suit genetic
  level of improved seed.
• (iii) Identification of pathogens (fusarium,
  pests of leaves, roots, biological cycles)

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• (iv) Identification of insect pollinators
• (v) Conservation (fresh fruit) techniques
• (vi) Scientific partners (see 6(vi))
• 3(b) Technology Dissemination
• Improved seed (Germinated)
• Pre-nursery (IRAD)gt (1) Nursery (Industry
  CDC, etc)
• Production (Industry farmers)
• gt (2) Nursery (IRAD gt farmers
• 3(c) Transformation from fresh fruit to oil (and
  conservation)
• (i) Industrial level Contractors harvest and
  transport fresh fruit to corporations oil mills
  (CDC has 2) for oil extraction and packaging for
  market
• (ii) Farmer level hand presses (2 operators)

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• 3(d) Marketing
• Industrial production (CDC, SOCAPALM PAMOL,
  etc) mostly for local consumption/market
• Farmer level sale in open market

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4. Achievement and Impact

• Important collection of oil palms of great
  genetic diversity
• Dissemination of improved genetic material
  (4-5T/ha/year of oil, reduced height, resistant
  to fusarium)
• Commercial grain production estimated at 5
  million ( of which 50 is tolarent to fusarium)
• More than 100,000 ha out 160,000 ha is planted to
  improved material from the Research Centre
• Total production (industry farmers)
  240,000/year
• Employment 16 000 employees (oil palm, bana,
  rubber) and expanding (CDC alone)
• Emergence of artisanal and industrial treatment
  of bunches
• Emergence of farmers organization
• National Palm oil demand substantially met.
• Palm oil most affordable vegetable oil in
  Cameroon market

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5. Why best practice?

• The palm oil production chain in Cameroon is a
  good practice given that
• Needed improved seed is developed within the
  ecological zone under which production will take
  place
• Hence Adapted to biological and physical
  stresses of the environment
• . High productivity
• (ii) Many smallholders (and evolving organization
  associated with the corporations (CDC supervises
  their plantations and processes their harvests)
• (iii) Sale of improved seeds generates funds (
  USD 120,000/year) for further research
• (iv) Positive response to food security needs
• (v) Job creation (expansion of the corporations,
  etc) ( 9 000 direct jobs)
• (vi) Existence of own funding
• (vii) Creation of social services (schools,
  dispensaries/hospitals, roads, housing, potable
  water, sporting facilities)

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6. Determinants of success/contributing factors

• Development (by NARS) and availability of
  appropriate technologies (seed, etc) within the
  ecological zone of performance
• Adoption of (the) appropriate technologies (by
  corporation and smallholders Effective extension
  link Research Corporation Smallholders
• Commodity has high national/consumer demand
• It is relatively affordable
• Partnership (of IRAD)

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• 6 (v) National . University of Dschang,
  . University of Yaounde I
• - University of Ngaoundere
• . MINADER
• . Agro-industries
  (CDC,SOCAPALM,PAMOL, etc, NGO (e.g. UNEXPALM)
• International . INRAB (Benin)
• . CIRAD (France)
• . IOPRI (Indonesia)
• . CNRA (Côte dIvoire)

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6(vi) Implication of Policies, Programmes,
Strategies (1)

• Vision of Rural Environment sought
• .  . not any longer an essentially
  agricutlural village. but lively rural
  communities where there will be a large tertiary
  sector population engaged in trade and services,
  a secondary sector population engaged in small
  scale industry and even a residential population
  obtaining its consumer products locally. 
  (Ahidjo, 1973)
•  I form the wish that this Buea Agricultural
  Show, opening the promising series of encounters
  of the same kind soon to be organized
  periodically over all our provinces, will be the
  sign of sure success of the  Green
  Revolution  in the Cameroons  (Ahidjo, 1973)

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• 6 (vi)(1) continued
•  Our prime concern. is to ensure that our
  population has sufficient food  (Ahidjo, 1974)
•  The development of our agriculture is a must 
  (Ahidjo, 1974)
•  Green Revolution is  development by ourselves
  for our selves. we rely first on our efforts,
  foreign aid being only a supplement to the
  national effort  (Ahidjo, 1977).

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6 (vi) Implication of Policies, Programmes,
Strategies (2)

• Strategy
• (1)  a coherent and long-term policy 
• (2) Framework for success of the Green
  Revolution Structures were set up to support the
  policies, programmes and activities adopted by
  the government. The structures were  tailored to
  the achievement of the targets of the Green
  Revolution . The structures included
  FONADER/CREDIT AGRICOLE to provide funding.

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6 (vi) Implication of Policies, Programmes,
Strategies (3)

• . Programmes of the Green Revolution executed by
  the Ministry of Agriculture, transformed to suit
  the purpose.
•  But finally it is the farmer himself who
  principally shoulders responsibility for the
  success of the Green Revolution  (Ahidjo, 1974)
• (4) Evaluation and Re-orientation of the GR
  
• Agro-pastoral Show, Maroua(1988)

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7. Constraints

• Major constraints in the palm oil production
  industry in Cameroon include
• (i) Productivity gap between research results
  (22T/ha) and production/farmer performance
  (9-10T/ha).
• gt due to non-respect of research
  recommendations on agronomic practices (farmers
  have no access to credit)
• (ii) Transportation of harvests to extraction
  sites problematic/difficult because of bad state
  of roads
• (iii) Researchers working environment (low
  salaries, early retirements without replacements,
  departures for greener pastures)

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8. Conclusion

• Unique oil palm research centre in Central
  Africa La Dibamba can serve entire region by
  developing and releasing improved and germinated
  seed for use in similar ecologies
• To enable maintenance of the experience, the
  following constraints need to be removed by
• . Increased funding(Research)
• . Improved researcher working environment
• . Improved rural infrastructure (roads).
• . Facilitated farmer access to credit.

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(No Transcript)
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References

• Binde N.W. 2008. CDC Oil Palm, Rubber Projects
  Firmly on Course. The Sun No. 050, Dec. 30
  http//www.thesuncameroon.com
• CDC. 2008. http//www.cdc-cameroon.com/palmspage.t
  hm
• Dewbre J. and Battisti A. Borot de. 2008.
  Agriculture Progress in Cameroon, Ghana and Mali
  Why it happened and how to sustain it. OECD
  http//www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/display
• IRAD. 2008. Strategic Plan. 2008-2012
• http//www.irad-cameroon.org
• Republic of Cameroon. 1973 1978. Collected
  Presidential Speeches, (Amadou Ahidjo) National
  Assembly(Secretariat), pp. 5-11, 200- 206,
  504-517
• Republic of Cameroon. 1983-1988. Speeches and
  Interviews of President Paul Biya, SOPECAM, pp.
  59-68, 255-260.
• World Bank. 2008. Agriculture for Development.
  In World Development Report