To enhance sustainable agriculture in North Region: IRAD hands improved seeds, fertilisers to farmer organisations in Pitoa.

The several tonnes of farm inputs comprised improved seeds of rain-fed sorghum, off-season sorghum (Muskwari), wheat, soybeans, eggplant, cassava cuttings and potato vines produced by IRAD. The donations by IRAD also included 500 bags of fertiliser.

The move by IRAD is aimed at boosting the import substitution policy advocated by the Head of State, President Paul Biya.

Speaking at the event, the IRAD Garoua Chief of Station, Dr Sobda Gonné, representing IRAD Director General, Dr Noé Woin, said: “The seeds donated were produced by IRAD... They are adapted to the agroecology of Pitoa and the diversity of the soils".

According to Dr Sobda, the different seeds will enable farmers to cultivate about 950 hectares and produce about 6,000 tonnes of certified seeds and several tonnes of tubers, subject to favourable agro-climatic conditions. 

In addition to the seeds, the beneficiaries received substantial support in the form of 500 bags of fertiliser. 

“Many farmers have shown enthusiasm in growing these different varieties in the past. This encouraging behaviour demonstrates your interest in improved seeds on the one hand and technical innovations on the other,” the representative of the Director General of IRAD said, justifying the choice of seeds donated.

Dr Sobda noted that in addition to the seeds and agricultural inputs they receive, these farmer organisations will receive "not only technical data sheets describing recommended agricultural practices, but will also benefit from the necessary support from IRAD and the services of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in terms of seed production”.

This, he said, will be to help increase agricultural production. 

“All of this augers well for a better 2025 agricultural season for the populations of Benoue Division in particular and the North Region in general,” Dr Sobda said. 

It should be noted that the wheat seeds, which are well suited to the agro-climatic conditions of Benoue Division in particular and those of the Sudano-Sahelian zone in general, were produced under a special subsidy granted by the Head of State to IRAD in 2022, for the development and processing of the cereal in Cameroon, thus materialising the effectiveness of the import substitution policy.

This approach is being pushed by the Integrated Plan for Agro-Pastoral and Fisheries Import Substitution, known by its French acronym, PIISAH, an initiative focused on reducing imports of agricultural, pastoral and fisheries products by stimulating local production. 

According to IRAD, its research activities are largely in line with this approach and the results are made fully available to the population. 

This, experts say, is sufficient proof that President Paul Biya is sparing no effort to strengthen food security and sovereignty in Cameroon, with a real impact on the growth of the national economy.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3523 of Monday August 04, 2025