By
Mua Patrick Mughe in Yaounde
The
Sustainable Run for Development-SURUDEV, a Bamenda-based not for profit
organisation has recorded unmatched strides in fruits cultivation.
SURUDEV
through its Sustainable Bio Demonstration Farms located in Bongom, Donga
Mantung Division has been transforming the lives of hundreds of farmers most
especially women.
The
farms which habour ,onions, okro and watermelon remains at the centre of attraction
due to its uniqueness and innovative approach.
Recently,
the people of Nkambe were taken aback when a truck full of watermelons surfaced
in the market. The quality and quantity attracted both buyers and admirers.
Eye-shopping and inquisitiveness reached its apex when information filtered
around that the fruits were not imported into the Division but were just produced
in the nearby Bongom village, in Nkambe Central. What was however so
interesting was the taste and the quality of fruits says Mary Awudu. “I could
not believe these fruits are from Bongom” she added.
Like
irish potatoes, beans and maize, watermelon is gaining grounds in the North
West Region. Donga Manung Division has been in the cold since the invasion of
this highly market potential farm produce. Munkwa Victor Fon is one of the
experienced farmer who is farm manager at SURUDEV Sustainable Bio Demonstration
farms. “I have worked on a watermelons farm in the Littoral region, so when I
came back home, I tried some few plants and the result was wonderful. The
flavour was great and that is how we launched this demonstration
project”.
Statistics
show that Cameroon was one of the main producers with a total production of
28000 tons in 2002. Presently, although little information is yet available on
the production of watermelon in Cameroon, Donga Mantung has always been one of
the areas with no production. No one thought of taking this move considered earlier
as risky. During the last few weeks, most young men and women in Donga Mantung
Division have confessed they would like to be trained in the techniques.
SURUDEV’s Executive Director, Kari Jackson says they are ready to share their
experiences in the “stress free cultivation of watermelon”.
On
whether it is profitable, the head of the organisation sustains that the
project is on a good footing. “Generally, the benefits will not be much but it
will be two times much better than someone who cultivated maize and or beans.
We have a ready market, we were at the Nkambe market, Kumbo and the next market
day we will be in Ndu” Kari Jackson said.
The
visit to SURUDEV Sustainable Bio Demonstration Farms, Bongom, ignited
optimistic views and dashed doubts that the project will go a long way to
change the mentality of the people of Donga Mantung Division. Kari Jackson said
the idea of setting up the watermelon and onion farm is to stimulate youths
into agricultural activities. “The population should be aware that we turn to
waste alot of land to cultivate nothing. A farmer can sell watermelon and or
onion to buy maize”. He also emphasized that when harvesting will end by July
training of youths and women will start by August. “We are actually into
marketing and we are looking forward that retailers should come and buy from us
on the spot”. Munkwa Victor on the other hand disclosed to this reporter that
since they started harvesting, the number of people that come just to see
whether it is true that watermelon is cultivated in Bongom is about 15 per day.
Kari
Jackson told this reporter that his organisation intends to train at least 10
to 15 youths every year in the demonstration farms. “We want to change the
mindset of women and youths towards farming”. Sustainable agriculture, he
insisted provides high yields without undermining the natural systems and
resources that productivity depends on. In the case of watermelon and the onion
farms, Kari continued that the farms will serve as training centres for other
farmers.
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