Soil and Land Management
Introducing conservation agriculture
The Soil and Land Management Program seeks to support smallholder farmers in increasing productivity by making efficient and sustainable use of limited resources amid a changing climate. A major challenge for long-term food security is ensuring that agricultural practices remain sustainable while directly benefiting small-scale farmers.
Limited resources, rapid population growth, and climate change are putting significant pressure on smallholder farmers. Unsustainable farming practices and excessive resource use are leading to land degradation, soil depletion, and nutrient loss, threatening long-term agricultural productivity.
The program promotes research on agronomic solutions, including adapting soil, water, and nutrient management to suit local conditions. By considering socioeconomic factors, it also focuses on developing technologies that help farmers use resources efficiently and increase production sustainably.
In certain regions, the research focuses on enhancing soil stability, boosting productivity, and promoting sustainability by optimizing resource use while preserving and improving ecological services. In other areas, the primary objective is to improve livelihoods by increasing crop yields and making agricultural businesses more profitable.
Soil management training benefits farmers in Bambui
CAMPROSAM is conducting training on sustainable soil management practices in Bambui, contributing to ongoing regional efforts to enhance food production, maintain healthy ecosystems, and address climate change.
This project is helping farmers in Bambui recognize the vital role of organic matter and nutrient inputs, particularly nitrogen, in maize cultivation. However, limited soil knowledge remains a challenge for achieving sustainable agricultural intensification and resilience.
Senior Research Officer Josephine Bumuh demonstrating soil pH testing to farmers.
The 3-day training from 12-15 April is aiming to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable soil management to improve soil fertility. Participants will receive training on sustainable soil management, the importance of good nutrient management, soil testing for available nutrients, and diagnosing plant nutritional disorders.
The Program Leader for Sustainable Agriculture, Mr Samson Njeh, said soil health is a vital component of the agricultural system that is not well recognised in traditional and large-scale farmers that have intensified their production in a relatively short period of time. Soil testing must be considered the foundation of productive, sustainable agriculture. CAMPROSAM has trained in-country staff from other regions to revitalise farmers' knowledge of soil health management.
The training aims to strengthen soil knowledge among farmers and agricultural extension officers, providing a solid foundation for the sustainable intensification of farming systems. "Our goal is to increase awareness about the importance of proper nutrient management and regular soil testing to assess plant nutrient levels. Additionally, we aim to equip participants with the skills to diagnose and identify common plant nutritional deficiencies."
Improving soil health in support of sustainable development
Decreasing soil fertility and the decline of soil's biological health pose a serious challenge to sustainable farming in Cameroon. In the past, traditional land management relied heavily on extended bush fallow practices. Specifically, in the North West Region, this included recycling large quantities of organic matter by placing it in pits or heaps.
However, small-scale farmers who have increased crop production to meet the demands of expanding urban markets often do not replace enough soil nutrients and organic matter. As a result, crop yields are dropping, and issues like soil-borne diseases and nematodes are becoming more common—clear signs of deteriorating soil health.
A previous CAMPROSAM initiative focused on promoting sustainable agriculture across five regions of Cameroon achieved significant success. It effectively introduced participatory research and extension methods, which helped identify crop production challenges and develop practical solutions through collaboration with local communities.