The cooperative strengthened its dedication in 2024 by turning into a part of the ‘Cocoa Growth Software Challenge (PAD-CACAO), whose goal is to develop cocoa cultivation in Cameroon. This system is led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Growth.
TO establish the primary areas of interventionThe PAD-CACAO challenge deployed a nationwide coordination crew in Ihund (the headquarters of the cooperative) on Could 22 and 23, 2024to be able to perform a participatory analysis with the members of the affiliation.
By means of debates and trade of experiences, this participatory analysis aimed to:
Goals and strategy of analysis.
By means of debates and trade of experiences, this participatory analysis aimed to:
- acquire socioeconomic information on the members of the cooperative to have the ability to adapt actions;
- perceive the primary difficulties encountered by manufacturing corporations and acquire their recommendations;
- Outline an motion plan to attain the cooperative’s aims.
To achieve the utmost variety of ladies cocoa producers, the Nationwide Coordination crew traveled to caninein addition to the three workplaces of the cooperative: Iaakok, Pendjock and Ndog Nje (which has merged with Ihund).
Animation of the Iaakok Rural Girls workplace
The 2 days of debates have been organized in collaboration with the ‘Interprofessional Cocoa and Espresso Council (CICC)which already helps the cooperative in its improvement.
Every participant crammed out a really detailed identification kind to gather the next data:
- identification of the feminine producer;
- your manufacturing, processing and advertising information;
- your monetary habits;
- any issues you encountered and any recommendations you could have for future actions.
Fill out identification types in Iaakok
The aim of amassing this data was to find out income-generating actions, checklist manufacturing issues, prioritize probably the most worthwhile crops and thus set up an motion plan that may assist the cooperative obtain its aims.
The outcomes of the analysis.
Because of the poor phone community within the area, solely 24 of the 50 anticipated ladies He obtained the invitation and took part within the conferences.
Nonetheless, the evaluation of the collected information helped us establish principal socioeconomic tendencies among the many members of the cooperative. The next are some key figures:
- solely 17% of the members are below 35 years outdated (the depth of the work have to be taken into consideration sooner or later actions to be carried out);
- 61% of members have a main training degree and 35% have a secondary training degree;
- 7 ladies rely economically on their kinfolk;
- 100% of the ladies members of the cooperative earn their residing from the advertising of agricultural merchandise, and solely 4% are devoted to livestock (not all cocoa fields are nonetheless in manufacturing, which implies that the ladies they make a residing with different crops similar to cassava, macabo, yam, banana, and many others.);
- 74% of the monetary assets come from the producers’ personal cash;
- 40% of associates save their after-sales assets and 35% have their very own checking account;
- 91% of members pay their monetary obligations, together with membership charges and annual dues;
- 70% of the lively inhabitants is family-based and solely 30% has the standing of momentary worker.
Strengths
Every farmer has between one and 4 plots of meals crops on common, and one hectare of cocoa bushes. The analysis recognized the crops that should be intensified to mix advertising (primarily cassava and corn).
Because of the survey, it was additionally doable to establish the pure assets obtainable in rural Ihund and the extra revenue alternatives they may create as soon as developed.
The principle difficulties
Nonetheless, the survey additionally revealed necessary difficulties encountered by ladies producers.
They talked about particularly the soil infertility (generally strengthened by the observe of slash-and-burn agriculture), the presence of bugs and pests that destroy crops, important losses, particularly in plots cultivated in polyculture, the poor seed high qualityin addition to outdated and inappropriate instruments.
As for advertising, the group’s gross sales actions are presently being carried out, however producers remorse the poor situation of the roads and the shortage of technique of transportation, which make advertising very tough.
Debates and trade of experiences on manufacturing points.
Motion plan and areas of intervention
An motion plan has already been established with the ‘Conseil Interprofessionnel du Cacao et du Café’ to assist the members of the cooperative to 3 years in all features of your enterprise improvement:
- enterprise administration, management, administrative and monetary administration, negotiation,
- upkeep of apparatus and infrastructure,
- Data and expertise in cocoa cultivation (cocoa tree agrosystem, productiveness, regeneration of cocoa farms, processing methods, conservation, packaging and extra).
- setting and high quality (sustainable environmental administration, consciousness about cocoa traceability, well being necessities, and many others.).
Based mostly on the analysis and all the info collected, the PAD-CACAO crew determined to focus its assist on excessive yield seed provide and strengthening agricultural data of Rural Girls of the Coast.
This represents an important step ahead for the cooperative. We can be attentive to the outcomes of those actions throughout the coming months!
Picture of the Rural Girls of the Litoral on the cooperative headquarters in Ihund.
