M’muock Clan is one of the highest if not the first primary industrial zone in Cameroon. This zone is heavily involved in agricultural activities mostly farming and small scale cattle rearing. This zone produces in large scales or large quantities of farm products such as Irish potatoes, carrots, leeks, cabbages, beans, cocoyam and many other perishable or market gardening products. In fact the region Proven for the past few years to be the main food baskets of Cameroon.
The point we want to emphasize here is that the region has never received agricultural subsidies from the government. We hear over public media regularly that this or that region was receiving or will receive agricultural subsidies from government. But a journalist has never by chance or by mistake pronounced the name of this healthy region. Farmers of this region are asking why this neglect on the part of the government. On investigation, our reporter had a chat with the Divisional Delegate of Agriculture and Rural Development for Manyu, Mr. Nkeangnyi Lawrence who gave his views concerning this problem as follows:

Q: You are the Divisional Delegate of Agriculture and Rural Development for Manyu. Looking back at M’muock clan, what can you say concerning their level of agriculture?

R: I must confess that agriculture in M‘muock has attained a relatively advanced level as compared to other regions in the South West and other parts of Cameroon. In M‘muock, you find irrigational schemes being used individually in producing crops, a system which is mostly used by some large estates like CDC. In fact the level of agriculture is really high and I appreciate that.

Q: This region happens to be one of the highest if not the first zone supplying Market gardening products to the Cameroon national territory and some Neighbouring countries. But the government seems to have forgotten this region. What do you think can really be the reason for government’s negligence?

R: It is true that this region is the main food basket of Cameroon, but unfortunately, they have had no subsidies from the government. This might be because of the following reasons:

-Lack of farmers groups. Subsidies are not usually given on individual basis, but usually on group basis. Unfortunately, the farmers of this region do not yet have such farmers’ groups.
-The distance of this region from it’s administrative head quarter. We can not deny the fact that the government gives but in small quantities. This is usually done through the administrative head quarter which does not always reach them because of the long distance.
-One of the major reasons is that their farm products are registered at the national level under Menoua Dschang with the knowledge that all food crops arriving the National markets from that direction are coming from the Western highlands agricultural region.
-Lack of farmers farm statistics. Farmers do not really carry out statistics of inputs and outputs so as to present to administrators in order to substantiate their claims as healthy farmers.
-The ministry of agriculture is under staffed. Thus there is always the lack of staff to do full coverage in many regions in Cameroon.

Q: What can the farmers of this region do in order to attract such benefits?

R: I think the best thing to do is to form and register farmers group, and equally move closer to the administration. They should equally keep a better farm record that is inputs/outputs records so as to present to the administration. This is because the administration does not like working with verbal information.

Q: Can we see inadequate capital as one of the major problem of farmers in that region?

R: To me. I do not really see inadequate capital as their problem. I think they have relatively high capital compared to other regions. However, they can increase their capital by increasing their retained earnings (ploughed back capital). And for this to be effective, they must keep better farm records in order to see exactly their cash outflow and cash inflow. This will enable them know their net profit/loss. They can equally get capital from sources such as Njangi houses and credits from inputs suppliers. I think the major problem affecting them now is the lack of farms to market roads, and the only solution is to rally behind the government. What I will equally recommend to the farmers is the formation of a farmers’ cooperative in the region. This will facilitate the marketing of their products and equally help them to acquire inputs at lower cost.

Interviewed by Nkeangnyi Edwin