Analyse de la diversité des systèmes de pratiques en cacaoculture. Cas du Centre Cameroun

Abstract

Analysis of the diversity of cocoa cropping systems. Case of the Central Cameroon. Little is known about the cultural practices adopted by cocoa farmers in Central Cameroon. In order to bridge that knowledge gap, 1,428 farms were surveyed in four divisions of Centre province, which differed through the prevailing type of cocoa cultivation. Farmer typologies were established, based on their cultural practices for cocoa growing. Three scales of investigation were considered: province, division and village. This study confirmed the diversity of cocoa growing systems existing in Central Cameroon. A multidimensional exploratory analysis revealed that the links between the variables considered varied substantially from one division to another, though the degree of intensification in inputs and labour were the main determinants of cocoa yields. Four to five categories of farmers, which differed from each other depending on the variables studied, were found for each scale of investigation. In methodological terms, the classification method adopted to establish the typologies confirmed its efficiency. It showed that data analysis on a village scale relativized the results observed on a division scale, by making it possible to identify the cocoa growing system dominating a given village. This approach therefore enabled a better appreciation of similarities between the study zones, similarities which administrative or geographical zoning tended to hide. It suggested that it is necessary to assist farmers taking into account the diversity of situations.

Keywords

• Cameroon
• cocoa tree
• cropping system
• typology