DONE BY: STRATEGIES! SARL

SPONSORED BY: HELVETAS CAMEROON

AUGUST 2004 - MBENGWI

STRATEGY PAPER ON LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE

MBENGWI RURAL COUNCIL

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A) INTRODUCTION

B) IDENTIFICATION OF ECONOMIC POLES

C) THE PRODUCTION AND TRANSFORMATION OF CASSAVA

D) THE PRODUCTION AND TRANSFORMATION OF LIVESTOCK

E) THE EXPLOITATION OF SAND

F) THE PRODUCTION OF HUCKLEBERRY

G) THE PRODUCTION OF PLANTAIN

H) ACTION PLAN FOR THE COUNCIL

I) ANNEX

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A) INTRODUCTION The Mbengwi Rural Council (MRC) has opted for an economic transformation for the municipality by the year 2007. It has as its economic goal:

“To bring an economic boom to the municipality with an increase in the standards of living, absence of poverty, and an increase in the production and transformation of its

resources.” It is within this context that the workshop on Local Economic Development (LED) took place in Mbengwi from the 10th to 12th August 2004. The main objectives of the workshop were to: • Introduce the concept of LED • Draw up a LED strategy paper for the municipality, including its key economic poles, the

main actors in each pole and an action plan for the development of each of these poles. To define these elements, participants from the different technical services of the municipality, government and private institutions and from the council worked together over a three-day period. The methodology included a general introduction on the concept of LED to the participants, followed by brainstorming and practical exercises which produced to the different elements included in the strategy paper. This document presents the results of the three-day workshop that gave birth to the “Mbengwi LED Strategy Paper” for the Period 2004-2007. It is expected that the council will harmonise the action plans for the different poles and plays its role as the catalyst for a successful LED programme for the municipality. The strategy paper has 5 sections. Each section consists of a pole, the key actors for the pole, a SWOT analysis for the pole, and an action plan to develop the pole. The council came up with an action plan that which integrates the work to be carried out by the different poles.

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B) IDENTIFICATION OF ECONOMIC POLES The following resources were identified within the Mbengwi municipality. The methodology used was brainstorming with the participants.

Rafia Palm Plantains Cocoyams Cassava Vegetables (Huckleberry) Sand Stones Coffee Cabbage Water Melon Livestock Fishery Waterfalls

Since the council has limited resources and cannot focus on the development of all of these resources, there was the need to select a few poles on which the council can capitalize within the given period for its economic boom. The pair wise ranking tool was used to define these key economic poles and the following results obtained. Pair Wise Ranking Cassava Cocoyams Vegetables Sand Stone Livestock Plantain Fish

Cassava x Ca Ca Ca Ca Ca Ca Ca

Cocoyams Ca x Ve Sa St Li Pl Co

Vegetables Ca Ve x Ve Ve Li Ve Ve

Sand Ca Sa Ve x Sa Li Pl Sa

Stone Ca St Ve Sa x Li Pl Fi

Livestock Ca Li Li Li Li x Li Li

Plantain Ca Pl Ve Pl Pl Li x Pl

Fish Ca Ca Ve Sa Fi Li Pl x

TOTAL 14 2 10 6 2 12 8 2

SCORE 1st 3rd 5th 2nd 4th

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With the above exercise, the following 5 economic poles were identified for the Mbengwi Rural Council: • The production and transformation of Cassava • The production and transformation of Livestock (cattle) • The production of vegetable • The production of plantain • The production of sand

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C) THE PRODUCTION AND TRANSFORMATION OF CASSAVA Below is a table that presents the key actors and their activities for the production and/or transformation of cassava. Actors

Actor

Activity

Council ♦ Identify and mobilise the different actors ♦ Organise initial meetings with actors ♦ Coach the different actors on LED

Farmers ♦ Produce of cassava in sufficient quantities ♦ Produce good quality cassava

Those involved in processing the cassava e.g. ♦ Different women’s union

♦ Transform the cassava into good quality products o Garri o Waterfufu o Animal feed

Financial institutions ♦ Credit union ♦ Co-operatives

♦ Provides loans to farmers ♦ Sell farming tools ♦ Facilitate savings

State institutions, e.g. ♦ DDA + SDDA ♦ PNVRA ♦ Training and research centres

(IRAD) Bambui, Ekona ♦ Mbengwi area food crop co-

operative ♦ Professional associations (Back

Mbon waterfufu Women)

♦ Provide technical assistance for farmers ♦ Provide grants to farmers in the form of tools ♦ Improve cassava varieties ♦ Make available research results ♦ Provide technical assistance ♦ Promote the sales of cassava products

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SWOT ANALYSIS A SWOT analysis was carried out for this pole to obtain a global picture of the economic resource and enable the council to determine exactly where to focus. Strengths ♦ Produced in large quantities ♦ Low investment capital needed ♦ Availability of research results ♦ High ability to add value ♦ Easy storage of transformed products like kumkum, garri etc. ♦ High percentage of farmers involved ♦ High yield compared to other crops Key weaknesses

Key weaknesses Proposals on how weaknesses can be overcome

♦ Highly perishable ♦ Bulky ♦ Low production techniques ♦ Too much human labour involved in

processing ♦ Intensive use of natural resources like

firewood and water ♦ Heavy soil customer (Cassava drains

nutrients from the soil) ♦ Difficulties in transporting cassava from

farm to home

♦ Improved use of modern processing techniques

♦ The use of manure and fertilizers

Opportunities ♦ Resistance of improved varieties to diseases ♦ Modern processing techniques ♦ Modern graters ♦ Ovens for frying ♦ Availability of modern driers (kumkum) ♦ Possibility for research Key threats

Key threats Proposals on how they could be overcome ♦ Existence of diseases like Mosaic ♦ Use of insecticides

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Action plan for the development of the Cassava pole

Objectives

Activities Deadline

Creation of a cassava cluster ♦ Identify all the actors ♦ Mobilise and organise actors ♦ Initiate meetings

12th November 2004

Increase in the production of cassava

♦ Improve on cultivation techniques

♦ Increase farm size ♦ Follow up farmers ♦ Introduce improved varieties ♦ Organise Best Farmers

Competition

Ongoing December 2005

Reduce wastage and hard labour during processing

♦ Installation of processing techniques (modern, graters oven, driers)

January 2006

Improve on the quality of transformed products

♦ Training on modern packaging and storage techniques

Jan. 2006

Improve the marketing system of the produce

♦ Organise sellers in cooperatives December 2005

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D) THE PRODUCTION AND TRANSFORMATION OF LIVESTOCK Key actors

Actor

Activities

♦ Graziers and Breeders

♦ Breed the cattle in sufficient quantities and of good quality

♦ Seize business opportunities ♦ Butchers

♦ Buy the cows from the butchers and transform for sale

♦ Veterinary doctors and nurses

♦ Provide the necessary training for Livestock breeding

♦ Carry out research

♦ Extension workers (Minepia)

♦ Implement government actions within the domain

♦ Provide training and the necessary expertise services

♦ Milk processors

♦ Buy milk from the cattle breeders ♦ Transform the milk into other products

(cheese, yogurts etc.)

♦ Financial institutions ♦ Provide loans ♦ Facilitate savings ♦ Could finance projects

♦ Transporters

♦ Facilitate movements of cattle and transformed or processed products

SWOT ANALYSIS An analysis was carried out on this pole and the following results obtained: Strengths ♦ Availability of natural resources for grazing; hills, abundant water, valleys ♦ Availability of technical know-how on production ♦ Availability of existing markets ♦ Accessibility to Bamenda ♦ Low diseases challenge ♦ Presence of a favourable climate for breeding ♦ Presence of improved pasture

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Weaknesses

Key weaknesses How they can be overcome ♦ Persistence of broken fence thus straying of

the cattle ♦ Technical know-how not sufficiently

exploited ♦ Poor transportation facilities ♦ Farmer/grazier problems

♦ Sensitisation / education of graziers/ vaccination

♦ Provide the necessary training on cattle rearing and transformation

♦ The use of Integrated farming ♦ Education on the benefits of co-existence

with farmers Opportunities ♦ Prospects of road network improvement ♦ Available market for milk production ♦ Government’s intervention on pasture production ♦ Emerging market for smoked meat Threats

Key threats How to control them ♦ Animal theft ♦ Outbreak of epidemics ♦ Prolonged dry season

♦ Construction of padlocks for the cattle fence ♦ Control movement of cattle ♦ Promote government’s intervention in control and

vaccination ♦ Construction of irrigation schemes ♦ Introduction of cattle feed

Action plan for the development of the pole

Objectives

Activity Deadline

Improved productivity

♦ Training on the use of modern techniques for: o Milk processing o Fattening o Improved pasture o Improved animal security o Pasture preservation o Irrigation

September 2004

Organisation of grazers

♦ Identification of all grazers ♦ Organise meetings ♦ Creation of grazers association

30th September 2004

Search for funding ♦ Identification of potential funders ♦ Prepare and present projects for the different

funding partners

9th October 2004

Organise a cluster for the livestock sector

♦ Creation of the grazers union ♦ Identify all those who could form the cluster ♦ Hold sensitisation meetings with each of them ♦ Form a union of all actors

15th October 2004 1st November 2004 December 2004

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E) THE EXPLOITATION OF SAND Key Actors in the sector

Actor Activities Council ♦ Coordinate the activities of the actors in the pole

♦ Provide good infrastructure

Sand extractors ♦ Ensure good quality production ♦ Organise sales of sand

Transporters ♦ Facilitate the transportation

Financial institutions ♦ Credit unions ♦ Njangi groups

♦ Provide loans ♦ Give opportunities for saving ♦ Carry out micro investments

SWOT ANALYSIS Below are the results of the SWOT analysis for the pole Strengths ♦ The availability of rivers for sand extraction ♦ Availability of cheap labour ♦ Availability of means for transportation Weaknesses

Key weaknesses How to overcome the key weaknesses ♦ Bad roads ♦ Insufficient means for

transportation ♦ Seasonal fluctuation in quantity of

sand deposits

Opportunities ♦ Possibility of having good road infrastructure ♦ Availability of a water pump ♦ Availability of council truck for transportation Threats

Key threats How they can be controlled ♦ Theft ♦ Land barriers ♦ Flood ♦ Low water table ♦ Heavy rains

♦ Control of toll gates in the night

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Action plan for the development of the pole

Objective Activities

Deadline

Organise sand extraction and landlords

♦ Contact the various group leaders

♦ Form a union of all sand extractors

♦ Sensitise sand extractors on LED

December 2004 20/4 /2005 Ongoing

Organise sales of sand

♦ Define sales point ♦ Carry out publicity

December 2004 Ongoing

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F) THE PRODUCTION OF HUCKLEBERRY Key actors in the pole

Actor Activity Farmers ♦ Ensure cultivation in sufficient quantities

♦ Ensure good quality production of huckleberry

Financial Institution ♦ Credit Union ♦ Njangi groups

♦ Give out loans ♦ Facilitate savings

Council Provide incentives such as: ♦ Trainings ♦ Land for cultivation ♦ Necessary infrastructure

Agric department ♦ Provide technical know how (trainings) ♦ Provide Inputs to farmers

Pyto sanitary base ♦ Provide pesticides ♦ Provide technical know how (trainings)

Traders (buyam-sellam) ♦ Buy and sell SWOT ANALYSIS Below presents the SWOT analysis for the development of the pole Strengths ♦ Availability of land for cultivation ♦ Production in sufficient quantities for the local market ♦ Availability of local labour ♦ Knowledge on improvement techniques by technical services of agriculture ♦ Proximity to the market at local level ♦ Availability of resources for production (water, pump, fertilizers, feeds) Weaknesses

Key weaknesses Proposals on how to overcome the key weaknesses

♦ Insufficient finance to purchase inputs for farmers

♦ Poor nature of farm to market roads

♦ Insufficient markets ♦ Little response by farmers to the

technical services ♦ Lack of technical processing

♦ Council improve on the roads by seeking for assistance and control of heavy trucks that ply the road

♦ Seek advice from experts on processing

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Opportunities ♦ Availability of technical services ♦ Availability of elites for financial assistance ♦ Possibility of adding value to the resource Threats

Key threats How they can be controlled ♦ Competition from other producing areas ♦ Exhaustion of natural minerals found in the

soil ♦ Burning and deterioration of soil nutrients ♦ Destruction by pests and diseases

♦ Branding of products for popularity ♦ Use of chemicals for soil improvement ♦ The use of inorganic fertilizers ♦ Use of organic manure etc ♦ Avoid burning the soil

Action plan for the development of the pole

Objectives Activities Deadline

Organisation of all actors in the sector

♦ Identify all actors ♦ Initiate meetings ♦ Form a union of all actors

November 2004

Increase production ♦ Use of modern cultivation techniques

♦ Increase farm size ♦ Follow up activities

ONGOING March 2004

Improve on the quality of huckleberry

♦ Improve on the cultural practices in farming

♦ Use of modern harvesting techniques

March 2005

Organise the sales of huckleberry

♦ Organise all groups to form one CIG

o Hold meetings with the different groups

o Form the CIG ♦ Have one sales point ♦ Carry on publicity

Feb 2005 Ongoing

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F) PRODUCTION OF PLANTAIN Key actors in the sectors

Actor Activity ♦ Farmers ♦ Ensure cultivation in sufficient quantities

♦ Ensure good quality production of plantain ♦ Ensure the production and marketing of fruits/suckers

♦ Agricultural external staff

♦ Provide technical know-how ♦ Provide the necessary trainings

♦ Livestock rearers ♦ Production of manure for farmers

♦ Council

♦ Provide the necessary infrastructure ♦ Organise all the actors in the sector ♦ Provide incentive measures

♦ NGO/CIG (Plan Int, MECUDA)

♦ Technical know-how/training ♦ New techniques/varieties ♦ Training/funding ♦ Farm to market roads

Transporters ♦ Transportation of produce to market

Psyto sanitary base ♦ Provide Training/Education on pesticides, fungicides

Traders (buyam-sellam) ♦ Buy the plantains and re-sell

SWOT ANALYSIS Below is the result of the SWOT analysis Strengths ♦ Available market ♦ Farmers know-how on cultivation ♦ Available materials for treatment ♦ Available suckers for planting ♦ Available land ♦ Available manure ♦ Available dealers in chemicals and fertilizers

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Weaknesses

Key weaknesses How they can be overcome

♦ Panama disease ♦ Financial impediments ♦ Lack of improved varieties

♦ The use of clean and healthy suckers ♦ Treatments with pesticides ♦ Savings ♦ Loans ♦ Grants ♦ Encourage farmers to go for the improved

varieties Opportunities ♦ Technical support program by government and NGO ♦ Presence of an enterprise producing plantlets Threats

Key threats How they can be controlled ♦ Pests and disease attack ♦ Wind and hail stone destruction ♦ Theft

♦ Control of animal destruction by farmers, local and municipal council

♦ Use of pesticides ♦ Support poles and ropes for the plantain ♦ Polythene bags and fruits to protect

hailstones ♦ Keep watch

Action plan for the development of the pole

Objectives Activities Deadline Organise all actors

♦ Identify all the various actors ♦ Hold sensitisation meetings ♦ Form a union of all actors

December 2004

Ensure increased production of plantains

♦ Carry out training ♦ 40 000 suckers to be planted

November 2004 July 2004

Search for funds

♦ Identify all possible funding bodies

♦ Write projects and propose to them

September 2004 March 2005

Organise marketing for the plantain

♦ Organise all the actors concerned♦ Create a sales point ♦ Carry on publicity

October2006 September 2005 September 2005

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G) ACTION PLAN FOR COUNCIL The council being the catalyst for LED has to coordinate all of the activities. Below is the action plan for the council.

Objective Activities Deadline Sensitise and mobilise the council on LED

♦ Send out letters of invitation to councillors

♦ Hold an extra ordinary council session to present the concept of LED and economic goal of the Council

September 2004

Creation of a steering committee for LED

♦ Meeting to inform and form a steering committee for LED

24th September 2004

Bring together CSO and actors of the various poles

♦ Meeting to identify the sectors concerned

♦ Organise the creation of associations for different sectors

10th October 2004

Ensure follow up of the cassava and livestock ongoing projects

♦ Harmonise action plan of both sectors

10th January 2005

Carry out feasibility studies on the other poles

♦ Consult on project proposal

April 2005

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FACILITATORS NOTE It is however important to stress that the council plays a primordial role for the economic boom of its municipality. Thus the success of the LED programme depends largely on the dynamism and competence of the council in different areas such as: • Sensitizing of the population • Mobilizing all of the actors in the different identified economic poles • Negotiating partnership with the different actors • The search and/or mobilization of finances • Defining additional incentive measures to attract investors to the municipality • Creating an investment friendly environment The council has to play this catalyst role and it could do so by putting in place a committee for LED since it has several other duties to carry out. The council can also work with a consulting firm having the required competence in LED during the introductory phase of the programme, especially for the organization and moderation of work sessions with the different groups and actors. This strategy paper however is a first step for the council’s economic development and the guiding tool, which gives the economic direction for the municipality, thus the council has to harmonies its action plan and follow up its implementation taking into consideration the development of all the different economic poles.

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ANNEX

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List of participants

Name Function

WALINJOM Christina

Agric Chief of post, Sang

TAH Theophilus

Councilor

MADUGU Francis

Secretary, Divisional Delegation, MINEPAT

FOMUNANG Beltha

Cashier, MRC

FOBANG Roland Achu

2nd Deputy Mayor,

OMAROU Jobadi

Councilor

MBAH Joseph

Councilor

FOMBI Rose

Councilor

TITAKUM John Mbak

Councilor

TOH Jacob Tata

S. G. MRC

MBAH Gilbert

Farmer (farming and meat processing)

AWOUNFOUET Benoit

Agronomist, MINEPIA

CHI William

Draughtsman

MUSI Gabril

Councilor (farmer)

ENDAH Jennet

Librarian MRC

NJOKE Stephen

Management trainee, MMUDEC Group

MBAH George

Councilor

NDANGSA Humfred

Development officer, MRC

FONCHAM Mary

Municipal Treasurer

FOBANG Cordelia

Save your Future Volunteer

NGAH Viola

Tax clerk, MRC

MBONTEH Charlie

MUDEC Buea, Team Leader

TIBE Samuel

Trainer, MUDEC Group

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Name Function

FABONGE James

Consultant, ANEMBON

MUKONG Esther

Consultant, ANEMBOM

MUKONG Lumumba

ANEMBOM Consulting Manager

CHENNY Edith

Trainer, CARD

AFOR Emerald

Trainer, CARD

FRU Marilyn Ngum

Consultant, STRATEGIES !

AKONGNWI Lem

Consultant, STRATEGIES!