Target Population

Target Population

At NDEF Cameroon we are committed to building the resilience of rural and suburban communities in Cameroon. Our approach is based on the following target populations.

Small Scale Farmers

Small scale farmers constituted into Common Initiative Groups (CIGs) and Cooperatives. NDEF does not work with individual farmers directly.  We work with groups of farmers composed of all genders.

Women

NDEF finds women to be instrumental in ensuring national food security, as well as in the future of sustainable agriculture. Although women make up a growing proportion of the agricultural labour force, they however, make up a disproportionately large number of unpaid and low-paid seasonal or part-time workers. We see the involvement of women and girls in agriculture as vital to foster environmental resilience, food security and sustainable development. Therefore, we focus our efforts to empower women, economically and to build an equal world, free from cultural biases and stereotypes.

Youths

In Cameroon, much of the food is produced by ageing smallholder farmers who are less likely to adopt the new technologies required to sustainably increase agricultural production and productivity to feed the growing population while protecting the environment. Hence, we need to engage and re-engage youth in agriculture. NDEF has designed tailor-made agroforestry programmes aimed at providing Cameroonian youths with the skills and insights needed to engage in farming and adopt environmentally friendly production methods. With some additional effort, through farmer organizations (such as common initiative groups and cooperatives) and improved infrastructure, young farmers can connect to markets to sell their farm produce. Facilitating youth’s access to credit and establishing food value chains help youths to become entrepreneurs, improving their self-esteem and the feeling that they can make a living in rural agriculture. With this, NDEF sees that the absolute number of youth to depend on farming or livestock production is likely to increase in the future.

Agricultural Entrepreneurs (Agripreneurs)

Here, NDEF targets businesses which engage in agriculture as a business. We are particularly promoting the formation of linkages in agricultural value chains. We support contract farming initiatives whereby primary producers grow crops to be supplied to processors who add value before supplying the transformed goods to the final consumer or the market.

Village Development Committees

At NDEF, we see the success of any community or village project to have a huge bearing on the spontaneous participation of the targeted community members. NDEF cannot reach its vision, mission and objectives by limiting community participation to only a particular sector of the community. Rather all classes and sectors of the community must be organised and their active participation must be ensured. This is why community approach instead of target group approach is proved to be more effective in the successful implementation of programmes benefiting the entire community. As such, village development committees constitute our target group in order to ensure the active participation of the entire community.

School Agroforestry Clubs

Much of the Cameroonian youthful population look at agriculture as a dirty job reserved for poor villagers. They prefer the white-collar jobs instead. Getting more youth to engage productively in agriculture is not, and may not be, an easy task.

Young persons of today are increasingly being disconnected from nature and innovative ways are desperately needed to bring them closer to their nature. Through school farming clubs, children are connected with the environment, gain interest in sustainable practices and create a profound interest in agriculture. The institution of school agroforestry clubs is not only about cultivating crops nor raising livestock, but most importantly about nurturing youth interest and engagement in agriculture for the future. Children are provided with a hands-on experience in agroforestry. They learn values in line with environmental stewardship, responsibility and connection with nature.