Rice farmers in the North West Region of Cameroon have identified many challenges hindering them from reaching their full potential as far as rice production is concerned. These problems range from lack of water in the farms, grazer issues and destruction by livestock, lack of farm inputs, lack of farm to market roads, lack of enough rice processing units, lack of mechanised equipment and lack of good markets for their product.
The Rice Value Chain Development Project is on the right track to handling these challenges. As concerns the lack of water the project has already begun visiting water sources to harness and direct water into the rice farms. A huge untra-modern rice processing plant has been constructed in Ntabah and is currently being equipped to handle processing issues. As concerns grazer issues, studies are on-going for the identification of transhumance corridors to ensure that crops are not destroyed by livestock. The project will also consult stakeholders in these areas, to see how best to manage this pertinent issue.
The RVCDP will put mecahnised farm equipment in the form of tractors and other machines for tilling, planting and harvesting, at the disposal of framers to reduce the labour-intensive mode of agriculture which they still practice. The project will also rehabilitate and construct farm to market roads, as well as empower farm cooperatives so farmers can determine and harmonise the price of rice. Schools, hospitals and other social amenities shall be constructed in these communities, to improve the livelihood of rice farmers.
Farmers have reported that the variety of rice given to them by the GP-IRDP project has yielded more harvest than the local rice they planted in the past. The RVCDP will supply the farmers an improved variety of farm inputs to ensure better yield.
The RVCDP, bringing hope!