Agroecological Zone V: IRAD-led RADiUS project trains smallholder farmers on innovative agroecological technologies.

The RADiUS project also set up a poly-nursery for a demonstration plot. This was during a training workshop, which took place from November 11 to 12, 2025, at the Agricultural Training Centre, known by its French acronym, CAPAM, in Zamakoe, near Mbalmayo in the Centre Region.

The training aimed to strengthen the technical and practical capacities of smallholder farmers in agroecological Zone V in order to promote the adoption and dissemination of innovative agroecological technologies for sustainable and resilient production. 

It had as specific objectives to raise awareness among cocoa producers regarding the fundamental principles of agroecology and their agronomic, economic, and environmental benefits.

It also aimed at training participants in sustainable soil fertility management techniques, particularly improved composting and the use of local organic amendments.

The training was also to introduce farmers to the production and utilisation of natural biopesticides for an ecological and cost-effective crop protection strategy, promote agroforestry and integrated production systems as levers for enhancing the resilience of farm holdings.

The workshop also sought to develop the aptitude of producers for participatory experimentation and the monitoring and evaluation of their agricultural practices; facilitate experience sharing, networking, and the creation of local dynamics for the dissemination of agroecological innovations and disseminate new agroecological practices and technologies among producers.

Speaking in a welcome address, the Director of CAPAM, Nkou Mbarga Sylvestre, said the centre trains youth in agriculture, forestry, livestock production, among others.

“CAPAM also instills entrepreneurship skills in its trainees to enable them to be job and wealth creators,” he said.

Opening the workshop on behalf of the Director General of IRAD, Dr Noe Woin, the Focal Point of RADiUS project, Dr. Eunice Ndo, who is Chief of Centre at IRAD Mbalmayo, said the RADiUS project is part of an ambitious initiative to transform climatic, social and economic challenges into opportunities by promoting agroecology. 

“It is a sustainable and inclusive approach that promotes food security, economic sovereignty and the wellbeing of farming communities,” she said.

She added that: “The activities that bring us together over these two days are among the flagship actions of the RADiUS project, notably knowledge management in agroecology and capacity building for stakeholders”.

“During our work, we will establish a nursery whose seedlings will be used to set up an agroecological cocoa demonstration plot. We will also work to strengthen the capacities of stakeholders in several technical areas of agroecology. These activities will help West and Central Africa address the challenges faced by farmers in general and cocoa farmers in particular, namely: improving yields while preserving human, animal and environmental health,” Dr Ndo disclosed. 

She also revealed that RADiUS project is disseminating the technologies, innovations and good practices to farmers in order to enhance agroecology.

Dr Ndo said some six agroecological innovations that will be made available to farmers by IRAD researchers include Trichoderma, Mycorrhizae, Arrachis pintoi, MSN compost, Vermicompost, Plants Bob.

Sets up poly nursery

Meanwhile, during the training, a poly nursery for a demonstration plot in Agroecological Zone V was also set up. The aim is to set up a cocoa-based agroforestry system model that uses different technologies and innovations from research to tackle the current challenges facing cocoa farming. 

The poly nursery will play the role of demonstrating good agroecological practices adapted to local conditions; scaling up certain innovations identified by the RADiUS project, facilitating the transfer of agricultural technologies to producers; evaluating the performance of the technical itineraries promoted.

It should be noted that RADiUS is a project funded by the European Union, EU, and coordinated by the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development, CORAF. Its activities are implemented by a consortium of seven partners in five West and Central African countries: Senegal, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, and Cameroon. Its focal point in Cameroon is IRAD.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3623 of Thursday November 13, 2025