Diversification des exploitations agricoles à base de cacaoyer au Centre Cameroun : mythe ou réalité ?

Abstract

Diversification of cocoa farms in the Central Cameroon: myth or reality? A survey was conducted among 1,171 farmers to assess the degree of diversification on cocoa-based farms in the Centre Province of Cameroon, which is the main cocoa producing zone in the country. Fifteen years after the onset of liberalization of the cocoa supply chain, the results showed that area under cocoa predominates in the cropping plan on a farming system scale. The same applied for the contribution made by cocoa income to overall farm functioning. However, a further study carried out on 74 cocoa plantations in that region showed that diversification was more perceptible on the cocoa based production systems. In fact, fruit tree species, which are very often found in cocoa plantations, partly explained the occurrence of substantial agrobiodiversity. A north – south gradient was found in which diversification of the cocoa growing system was significantly greater in the forest – savannah transition zone than in the forest zone. However, it turned out that the process of diversification by planting fruit tree species in cocoa plantations was not a new phenomenon, since it involved all cocoa plantings whatever their age. This research thus relativizes the extent of the diversification strategy adopted by cocoa producers in the Centre Province of Cameroon in response to changes in their socioeconomic environment and the instability of international markets.

Keywords

• Farm
• farming system
• cropping system
• diversification
• cocoa
• Cameroon