2017 Agro-Pastoral show:

Farmers decry distribution of expired inputs

By Boris Esono in Buea

Farmers receiving farm inputs in Buea

South West farmers have called on the government to stop the habit of distributing expired inputs to farmers. They made the statement in Buea 23 December 2017 during the launching of the 2017 farming season in the SWR.

                According to Mr. Ndedi Bau Akama Makia, SW delegate of the National Platform of agro-sylvo-pastoral and fisheries professionals of Cameroon, PLANOPAC, the government should ensure that farm inputs are given to farmers in time and that expired inputs are not given to farmers.

                “It is high time inputs get to farmers in time because if farmers wait until March 2018-the date for the distribution, these inputs will be long expired,” Ndedi Bau said, adding that “government should speed up the payment of seed producers because since 2015 these producers have not been paid causing them to go borrowing from micro-finance institutions at high interest rates”.

                In 2009 during the extension of electrification from Bakingili to Sanje, farmers in the West coast had their crops destroyed and evaluated during this extension. For seven years now, these producers have not received payments despite numerous promises.

                To Mr. Ndedi, the life agric-census which was ordered by the government has been long overdue. It needs to be implemented to know who is who in the agricultural sector. Our country does not recognize and valorize agriculture as a business. They turn to relegate it to the background”.

                “There is also need for the putting in place of a functional farmer’s bank which will go a long way in assisting farmers in terms of getting loans as the banking sector play little or no role in promoting agriculture” He exclaimed

                Speaking to Juilius Bekika Mokeo, best farmer in Cassava, he opines that they lack farm inputs to help them boost their businesses. “Let the government assist us by providing tractors, inputs and cassava cutting machines so it can facilitate us process our products”.

                Farmers were urged to get closer to agricultural supervisors so as to benefit from agricultural production and also for them to form cooperatives in order to benefit from farm inputs and subsidies.

                Though 2017 was generally considered a good year for farmers in terms of prices of produce, farmers in the cocoa and rubber sectors unfortunately witnessed marked drops in prices.

                Agriculture is very vital in an economy like Cameroon as it contributes 35 to 40% of the Gross Domestic Product and 70-80% raw materials to industries in the country. 

                Commentators say government must look for ways of stabilizing prices if she really wants production to attain the 600.000 tons set for the country by 2029.

                A prize award crowned the 3-day Agro pastoral show.