Identification of Farmer’s Constraints to Maize Production in the Humid Forest Zone of Cameroon
E. L. M. Ngonkeu *
Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, Cameroon and Department of Plant Biology, The University of Yaounde I, Cameroon.
L. N. Tandzi
Department of Plant Biology, The University of Yaounde I, Cameroon and West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
C. V. Dickmi
Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, Cameroon.
E. Nartey
West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
M. Yeboah
AVRDC Project, IITA, Yaounde, Cameroon
J. Ngeve
Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, Cameroon.
H. A. Mafouasson
Department of Plant Biology, The University of Yaounde I, Cameroon and West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
A. Kosgei
West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
N. Woin
Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, Cameroon.
V. Gracen
West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana and Cornell University, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Ten farmers were randomly selected in the humid forest zone of Cameroon to form the main focus group of 50 people. A total of 178 farmers were individually interviewed. A Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) was conducted in fives villages in the Bimodal Humid forest zone (BHFZ) of Cameroon in 2013. The objectives of the study were to elucidate farmer’s perceptions on maize cultivars and to identify farmer’s constraints on their maize production system. Quantitative data analyses were performed using least square means of the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 17. Results showed that poor soil fertility was among the major six problems listed by farmers in the BHFZ. Maize was the main cereal produced as food and cash crop in the study area. The main land management practice was slash and burn with a fallow system. The major constraints facing farmers were inadequacy of improved varieties, post-harvest handling challenges, weeds infestation, poor soil fertility and high cost of fertilizers. Therefore, it became necessary to explore for more sustainable and affordable ways of increasing yield of the crop through identification of high-yielding and stable maize tolerant to these farmer’s constraints. The practice of appropriate agricultural system associated with the utilization of improved and adapted varieties could significantly increase their maize yield.
Keywords: Participatory rural appraisal, farmer’s constraints, focus group, soil fertility, maize tolerant