Exploratory Study on Agricultural Practices on the Bamboutos Mountains

Volume 5, Issue 10, October – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology ISSN No:-2456-2165 Exploratory Study on Agricultural Practices on the Bamboutos Mountains Ngimdoh Marline Mirene, University of Dschang Tchekote Herve, University of Dschang Achamoh Victalice Ngimanang, University of Bamenda Abstract:- The paper intends to examine the logic of I. INTRODUCTION agricultural practices on upper slopes of the Bamboutos Mountainswhich cut across the South West, West and Agricultural practices are collection of principles to North West regions of Cameroon. The zone is located apply for farm production processes to facilitate farming and between latitude, 5o32’ and 5o51’N, longitude, 9o56 and to get better agricultural products. On the Bamboutos 10o09’ E and it extends from an altitude of 2000m to Mountains, there has been a great change in the agricultural 2700m. After developing a conceptual framework that practices and techniques as the main actors are increase in reviews the key concepts and theories of agricultural size and spheres. In the past before the economic crises practices. Both primary and secondary data were which saw the prices of main cash crops of the area which collected from the eight localities which constitute the were rubusta coffee and Arabica coffee in the lower slopes area under study to collect data effectively from 162 of upper slopes of the mountains respectively, the main respondents. Analysis was done with the help of SPSS,`1 actors were farmers and Cooperative (CAPLAMI) who Excels 2016 and the result is presented in tables, charts acted as buyers and the techniques use were characterized and graphs. Correlation and regression techniques are with the use of rudimentary tools. used. The results of the study revealed that Agricultural practices is the likelihood of the Bamboutos mountains Agricultural practices contribute immensely in dwellers. Majority of the respondents are male, age sharpening socioeconomic life of the population. Poor between 30-40 years, and holder of just FSLC.Farmers agricultural practices mainly due to illiteracy and experience has positive and significant correlation with increasingly high population pressure of Bamboutus massif method of conserving farm products, types of farm tools area has forced dwellers to farm on the steep slopes of the used and applicability of chemicals but a weak rank mountain, leading to erosion and further loss of fertility. In correlation between crop rotation and level of education. addition, the forest has witnessed rapid loss of its coverage Equally, crop rotation and mixed farming is significantly due to increasing agricultural practices. and positively influenced by education attainment of farmers. Five distinctive steps were identified for The post crises period also described as the post coffee successful farming in the area like elsewhere. For the era inflicted poverty to the population which push to find third objective of the article, a good number of problems alternative activities which today has become a blessing as plaguing the agricultural practice on the Bamboutos there was a population drift as reported in Ngoufo (1992) to mountain were identified ranging from frequent farmer- the upper slopes of the mountains where market gardening grazer conflict, insecurity, to more general problem as and other crops are intensively cultivated nowadays. The resistance of farmers to adapt to new techniques, intensity of the agricultural activities is this area has expensive nature of farm input, poor farms to market attracted the attention of many as the actors have extended roads, acute short of funds and personnels. Improving to international level. farms infrastructures, training and recruiting more personnels, reestablishing agricultural banks, and According to Wilfred et al, (2016), Cameroon has breaking land tenure obstacle among other strategies since early 1990s began spending billions of francs CFA to can go a long way to stimulate agricultural practice in import large quantities of food items (rice, maize, onion, the mountain area. tomatoes, milk and poultry) even though relying on national products has a clear comparative advantage. This has been Keywords:- Agricultural Practices, Evolution and very worrisome as it undermines local production potentials Challenges, Bamboutos Mountains. and pushes many producers out of the production chain as a result of unfair competition. The challenges are numerous (but not impossible) including low levels of input. Studying the practices of agriculture on the Bamboutos caldera is thus imperative. IJISRT20OCT027 www.ijisrt.com 1 Volume 5, Issue 10, October – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology ISSN No:-2456-2165 This paper is therefore reserved to shed light to various and beyond, thus contributing towards feeding the world's 9 agricultural practices and change. Specifically, the article billion people. Until the late 80s, Cameroon was considered sought to: self-sufficient in agricultural production and played a role of Examine the evolution of agricultural practices on the food garret for its neighbouring countries. BamboutosMountains Shed light on the various steps of agricultural practices Eva (2017) identified five indigenous farming cycle practices that have helped shape sustainable farming Explore the problems of agricultural practices systems and practices all over the world highlighted in the celebration of the 10th Anniversary of Declaration on the To accomplish these objectives the remainder of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Food Tank paper is arranged as followed: Having introduced the paper included: Agroforestry, Crop Rotations, Mixed-/Inter- in Section 1, Section2 focuseson conceptual and theoretical cropping, Polyculture, Water Harvesting. review, section 3 is reserved for brief methodology and section 4 is for presentation and discussion of result whereas Trend in agricultural practices has greatly been section 5 conclude the article. modified with the adoptions of modern technologies in agriculture like tractors and pump sets. Even the livestock II. CONCEPTUAL AND THEORETICAL REVIEW production has been totally changed into industrial type of production from backyard system. Animals provide manure, Concept of Agriculture Practice food and income and are used for cultivation and transport Agricultural practices are collection of principles to economically. Different animals can be fed on farm wastes apply for farm production processes to get better agricultural efficiently, which provide financial security at the time of products. In other words, agriculture practices are simply distress. In Indian culture, cattle are treated as an integral techniques used in agriculture to facilitate farming. Plowing part of the family. After undergoing the huge losses from the soil is an agriculture practice, minimum tillage, free adapting crossbred cows like Holstein, Frisien and Jersey, range raising of poultry, pigs and cattle rearing as well as farmers are fast changing towards indigenous cattle, since organic farming and sustainable agriculture are equally their maintenance is cheaper and the male calves can be considered as agricultural practices (Eva, 2017). used for cultivation and transport. Etymologically, the word agriculture is a late Middle Agriculture in most developing countries was an English adaptation of Latin agricultūra, from ager, "field", integrated cultivation of crops, animals and trees to meet and cultūra, "cultivation" or "growing". Agriculture usually most of the family and community needs rather than market. refers to human activities, although it is also observed in Trees played an important role in providing green manure, certain species of ant, termite and ambrosia beetle. To fodder, fruits, fuel and timber besides conserving soil water practice agriculture means to use natural resources to and hosting beneficial insects and birds. Now, it is necessary "produce commodities which maintain life, including food, to revive the traditional knowledge on seed selection and fiber, forest products, horticultural crops, and their related preservation to bring back the self-reliance and seed services. This definition includes arable farming or availability at the time of sowing. Similarly, rural population agronomy, and horticulture, all terms for the growing of is fast changing their medical treatments since synthetic plants, animal husbandry and sometimes forestry. drugs have become more expensive and found to create side effects. They now started growing medicinal plants like Agriculture sector in Cameroon is amongst the main Neem, for medication of both humans and their livestock. occupations for over 70% of citizens and contributes enormously to the country's economy (Wilfred. Abia, Classification of agricultural practices Conalius Shum, Richard Fomboh and Markjovert Ageh, Agriculture is one of the most widespread activities in 2016). The lack of access to adequate amounts of safe and the world, but it is not uniform throughout. There are a nutritious food is a public health concern worldwide and number of ways to classify agriculture, and some of the particularly in Cameroon. Due to its agro-ecological major criteria which can be adopted as noted by Dilip diversity, Cameroon has great potentials for agricultural Chandra (2018), Syed Asif (2018), and Bouville, (2014) are production to contribute towards its over 23 million people as summarized in the following figure IJISRT20OCT027 www.ijisrt.com

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