South West farmers, despite their numerous agric problems turned out with optimism and numerous exhibits during the Regional show in Limbe that many, even agric officials have predicted they will carry the day in the 2010 agro pastoral show in Ebolowa.

If there was anything that pleased everybody who visited the Limbe Agro Pastoral show for the South West Region, it is the numerous bountiful and attractive food exhibits that marveled Ananga Messina Marie Clementine, the minister delegate in MINADER who opened the show, Peter Tieh Ndeh, SG at South West governor’s office who closed it, the Mayor Limbe I council, the provincial delegate of agriculture …
Acknowledging the problems farmers and agric officials are going through speaker after speaker reiterated that the South West Region with her rich soils could win the best prizes in Ebolowa if little effort is put into agriculture.


Marveled by the quality and quantity of yams, plantains, palm nuts, cocoa, coffee, honey, vegetables and the various food stuffs, the Regional Delegate of Agriculture, Forwang Lawrence like the Lord Mayor for Limbe I council, Matute Daniel Lyonga, the minister delegate and SG in the South West governor’s office said “with the privilege position of the South West Region in agriculture, given its rich soils, favorable vegetation, climatic conditions and dynamic farming population, I am confident that our region will win the best prizes during the revitalized 2010 National agro pastoral show in Ebolowa”.
But behind this joy was the hazardous treatment given to farmers (because of ‘unintentional’ organizational lapses) who began receiving their prizes at about 5.30 pm on the 18th for a show that started on the 16th of December after spending nights in the open air.

Problems and proposed solutions
After indicating that food production in 2009 increased in the South West because of the amount of the millions the government pumped into the various programs and projects in the region, the Regional Delegate of Agriculture acknowledged;
“This enviable record notwithstanding, the ministry in the South West Region still faces many problems and challenges. Key constraints encountered include; poor and inadequate number of farm to market roads; inadequate number, in some cases complete absence of frontline agric staff; depreciation of soil fertility resulting in low yields; insufficient planting materials; high cost of farm inputs; inadequate credits to run services and to equally motivate the staff whose nature of work entails great risk; no vehicles for the regional delegation and divisional delegations of agriculture…


We have the honor to appeal to the government through the minister delegate to as soon as possible, solve the following problems for our services in the South West Region: speed up the recruitment and deployment of staff; rehabilitate and open up more farm-to-market roads in the South West Region; make available strong 4-wheel drive vehicles for the regional and divisional delegations of agriculture in the South West Region; subsidize the prices of inputs, especially fertilizers and pesticides…” by B.D.S.

“Gov’t should...see into our problems,”
What have you come here to exhibit ?
I produce cocoa and coffee.
What are your expectations after this agric show ?
Government should not only end here, the government should see into our problems because we need chemicals to spray our farms. Because of difficulties, some farmers have just abandoned their cocoa and coffee farms in the bush.

Is there really an increase in food production in the South West in 2009 ?
Yes, there is increased production.
Why are foodstuff prices instead doubling ?
Let me give you a simple example; we sell a kg of cocoa now for 1200 francs but a sachet of chemical now has risen to over 1000 francs, so farmers cannot make any money except they are subsidized to produce. Farmers complain that the chemicals are too expensive for them to buy so you can imagine the amount lost by B.D.S.

“Gov’t should...see into our problems,”

What have you come here to exhibit ?
I produce cocoa and coffee.
What are your expectations after this agric show ?
Government should not only end here, the government should see into our problems because we need chemicals to spray our farms. Because of difficulties, some farmers have just abandoned their cocoa and coffee farms in the bush.

Is there really an increase in food production in the South West in 2009 ?
Yes, there is increased production.
Why are foodstuff prices instead doubling ?
Let me give you a simple example; we sell a kg of cocoa now for 1200 francs but a sachet of chemical now has risen to over 1000 francs, so farmers cannot make any money except they are subsidized to produce. Farmers complain that the chemicals are too expensive for them to buy so you can imagine the amount lost by B.D.S.

“Agric shows are good because we learn,”

What were you expecting in this show?
Agric shows are good because we learn so many things when you interact with other farmers. We are happy with the reinstitution of agric shows but the problem seems to be at the level of management. The management is really a problem as some farmers had to spend the night in the open air at the exhibition ground.

Why are food stuff prices increasing despite the announced increase in production?
I can’t really explain but I think the population has increased then the cost of farm inputs too have doubled. These are obvious indicators to the high prices especially with the ever increasing demand from neighboring towns and countries by B.D.S.

“Agric shows are good because we learn,”

Mme Tamja Janet Chunge, snail farmer Tombel
What are your expectations after the re-launching of agric shows?
Things will improve from the numerous exhibits I have seen here; we can only improve.

Do you expect prices of food stuffs to fall?
I expect the government to support us produce, to give encouraging prizes to those who deserve. This will encourage high production and certainly turn out for agric shows especially if our road network in the South West is taken care of. After production, you must evacuate but we have serious crisis of transportation after production and this only increases the prices of foodstuff in urban areas while a lot is wasted in the enclave areas.