Noun Division: Germany impacting lives of farmers, patients in Bangourain, Kouoptamo, Foumbot.

Farmers say a rice mill donated to Bangourain by German Cooperation is boosting production

The populations of Bangourain, Kouoptamo and Foumbot in Noun Division of the West Region have stated that the German Cooperation has in the last couple of years taken a front seat in leading efforts aimed at improving their lives in the fields of agriculture and health. 



According to the locals, the German Cooperation has injected millions of FCFA to strengthen the health and agriculture sectors, which were both formerly sources of headache for the population that had already been badly affected by the ongoing crisis in the North West and South West regions.

Notable among the projects, the people say, is the provision of a rice mill for farmers in Bangourain and material assistance to honey farmers in Kouoptamo. 

They also mentioned the installation of a solar energy system in the Bangourain District Hospital and the inclusion of the Foumbot Health District in the Quality Challenge Health Programme, designed to promote the quality of services delivered in the health sector.

The population made the declarations in Bangourain, Kouoptamo and Foumbot Thursday July 4. It was during the visit of the German Cooperation-anchored 15-man press delegation currently on a four-region tour. 

The media team has, since July 1, been out working to bring to the public eye, the works that Germany, considered as one of Cameroon’s most trusted friends, has done in Cameroon in the last six decades in terms of contributing to national development. 

The pressmen made some six stops during the July 4 session which marked day four of the trip. The team made two stopovers in Bangourain in the Noun Division and one stop each in Kouoptamo and Foumbot in Noun and Bafoussam, in Mifi Division.

While the team met mostly with local authorities in the Noun Division, it was received in Bafoussam by the West Regional Delegate of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, Apouwo Ebenezer Ndea.

The regional delegate talked the pressmen through the over 34 million FCFA-worth of works that Germany has been doing in the region via his delegation since the COVID-19 crisis came about. 

Section of members of the cooperative of honey producers in Kouoptamo 

 

 

Germany at the heart of agriculture dev’tSection of members of the cooperative of honey producers in Kouoptamo 

 

Overall, the German Cooperation invested some 25 million FCFA in Bangourain, in the last couple of months, according to local authorities. 

Agriculturally, the institution assisted the community with a package worth some 14 million FCFA, which covered the installation of a rice mill and a garri production centre, costing three million FCFA and six million FCFA respectively.

The German team also importantly set up a system for the production of poultry feeds for poultry farmers in the locality. The projects were executed by the Special Council Support Funds for Mutual Assistance, FEICOM.

Speaking to pressmen during the visit, the beneficiaries of the projects said the assistance has changed the life of the population.

Njutapvous Njikam of the association of young agro-pastoral producers in Bangourain said the installation of the rice mill in the community for instance came at a time that the population had been brought to its knees following the outbreak of the ongoing crisis in the North West and South West regions. 

This, he stated, was after the population faced life-threatening challenges accessing its former rice milling station located in Bangolan in the Ngoketunjia Division of the North West Region, leading to the already struggling sector battling to stay afloat. 

Bangorain, it should be noted, shares boundary with Ngoketunjia and Bui Divisions of the North West Region.

“Before the machine was installed, we used to travel to Bangolan in Ngoketunjia Division to mill our produce. When the crisis started, it became highly challenging because movement became very difficult. Coupled with bad roads, it was not a smooth hurdle to scale,” the farmer said.

“With the arrival of the mill, our production capacity has increased. From the former 20 tones that we used to produce, we now produce some 500 tones because the machine has encouraged more people to start cultivating rice. We can mill some 30 bags per week,” Njikam added excitedly.

 

Kouoptamo honey farmers drinking from German’s fountain of kindness 

Down in Kouoptamo, the German Cooperation invested in providing material assistance to honey farmers. It provided the farmers with protective wears and modern beehives with costs jointly estimated at millions of FCFA.

“We no longer produce using artisanal techniques thanks to the support from the German Cooperation,” Bongnjioh Peter Ndifon, Vice President of the Kouoptamo Honey Producers’ Cooperative, said.

Ndifon says the cooperative now has some 150 beehives in its farm, disclosing that the group is expecting to see its production capacity more than double.

“We have modern beehives now, which importantly permit us to produce top quality honey. We also have modern attires which are ensuring our security. All we can say is a big thank you to the German Cooperation for the support,” the farmer added.

Mayor Maboum Adamou says thankful to Germany for installing solar system at Bangourain District Hospital 

 

 

Thousands benefitting from solar energy system in Bangourain hospital

Agriculture is not the only area targeted by the German Cooperation in the Noun Division. The Cooperation installed a solar energy system at the Bangourain District Hospital in a recent project, which ran between late last year and early this year.

The project, which falls under the health, social protection and demographic policy pool of the German Cooperation’s activities, cost some seven million FCFA. It was executed by FEICOM, with financing from the German development bank, KfW. 

Speaking to pressmen during Thursday’s visit, the Mayor of the Bangourain Council, Maboum Adamou, said the system has, since its installation, solved the multiple troubles formerly faced by the hospital due to disruptive electricity supply.

He said thanks to the system, pregnant women, who formerly covered some 35km from Bangourain to Foumban in Noun Division, now safely give birth at the Bangourain District Hospital. 

“We are highly satisfied with the project, because it has come to save the population. The population no longer travels long distances to Foumban in search of healthcare. Surgeries are now done here without any issues. Vaccines are also preserved without any hitches. In fact, it is a strategic project,” the mayor said.

Like the mayor of Bangourain, his colleague of the Foumbot Council, Njoya Inoussa, expressed gratitude to the German Cooperation for the work done in his council area and vowed to continue working with the institution for better results in future.

 

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3162 of Monday July 8, 2024

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