Yaounde: IRAD launches agroecology project to promote sustainability of food systems.

The workshop was to launch project activities and capitalise on knowledge and innovations in agroecology.

According to the project officials, the workshop had as aim “to officially launch the activities of the RADiUS project in Cameroon, by IRAD which is one of the seven partners of the project, and representing Central Africa”. 

Other aims of the workshop were to present the project to national stakeholders; review the state of knowledge, technologies and innovations in agroecology available in the agricultural sectors in Cameroon, with a focus on the consortium's five key themes: agro-ecological management of pests and diseases, soil health, animal health, production systems and agro-biodiversity, in order to create a national agro-ecology knowledge database; and identify/consolidate partners (partnerships) and responsibilities in the implementation of the project.

Participants of the workshop included personalities and administrative officials influencing policy and the national agricultural research system, researchers from the project's partner institutes, NGOs, and all the actors identified as stakeholders.

Dr Eugene Ehabe, Chief of Service for Policy and Programming at IRAD, opening the workshop on behalf of the Director General of IRAD, Dr Noe Woin, harped on the importance of the project in West and Central Africa, and especially Cameroon.

“The RMRN-RADIUS project is part of an ambitious drive to transform climatic, social and economic challenges into opportunities by promoting agroecology. It is an approach that is both sustainable and inclusive, serving food security, economic sovereignty and the well-being of farming communities,” he said. 

Dr Ehabe noted that agriculture is the largest contributor to GDP in Cameroon (17.29% in 2023). 

“It is at the heart of our economy and our way of life, feeding us, supporting our families and shaping our culture,” he said.

On behalf of the Director General of IRAD, he assured that IRAD is committed to ensuring effective coordination between all stakeholders, ensuring that the expected results are achieved within the set deadlines and promoting open and continuous dialogue to ensure inclusive and transparent implementation.

Taking research knowledge, technologies to populations

Talking about the project, the RADiUS focal point in Cameroon, Dr Ndo Eunice epse Mfou’ou Mfou’o, said RADiUS is a multi-actor agroecology research network designed to promote the sustainability of food systems in Cameroon. 

“It's a project that aims to bring research knowledge and technologies in agroecology to all populations. This is because we realised that we have several projects that have developed technologies, that have research results, even development results, but that are not known by the general public, by the producers who are our ultimate target,” she disclosed.

Dr Ndo added that: “So, the project aims to list all these innovations, everything that have been done in terms of agroecology, and to put them on a public platform to be visited by all producers, by all those who wish to be informed and who wish to make the agroecological transition”.

On his part, Dr Ndam Lawrence, Director of Agroecology Laboratory of University of Buea, who was one of the participants, said agroecology “is a principle that helps to sustain the environment. 

“There are many innovations that have taken place in Cameroon which the public is not aware of. So, this platform within this project brings those innovations together so that we can disseminate to farmers to be able to do good and sound practices that will sustain the environment and improve productivity at the level of farmers and even improve income and make sure that we have continuity within our sector,” he said.  

Harnessing indigenous knowledge

Meanwhile, Prof Justin Okole of IRAD Ekona, also a participant, said there are many agroecological practices from research and indigenous knowledge. 

“So, we're going to gather all these, choose those that are relevant and cost effective, that can bring out sustainable agriculture for our smallholder farmers in particular. Then we're going to have capacity building with a lot of training on these practices,” he stated. 

Prof Okole added that: “We're going to form innovation platforms, carry out demonstration plots where farmers will work together with other stakeholders, with researchers to see exactly what the effects of the various agroecological practices that we have in Cameroon are. There will be advocacy to convince many people, especially policy-makers to incorporate these practices into policies that will help in sustainable agriculture”. 

He stated that this will going to boost agricultural productivity, not only for yield, but also taking care of the environment. 

“The issue is not only just getting high yield, but making sure that the environment is also protected, especially the soil and other things so that in the future, we also have some of these things still remaining without any problem,” he added.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3465 of Thursday June 05, 2025