Survey on the growing practices and planting material used for cacao growing in the central region of Cameroon
2003
Paulin, Didier | Snoeck, Laurence | Nyassé, Salomon
In 2001, a survey was conducted among a limited number of cocoa producers in central Cameroon in order to gain a clearer picture of their cultural practices and of planting prospects in an unfavourable context after State withdrawal from the commodity chain and a period of low prices. This study provided a description of the planting material grown, and ascertained what producers thought of it. The survey confirmed the dominant role that cacao growing still plays for smallholders in the central region of Cameroon, who had no intention of converting their cacao plantings to any other crop, and who regularly carried out replacement planting in their plantations and were even considering extensions in the short term. Very little of the material grown came from varieties developed by research. There were two reasons for this: a level of resistance to pod rot that was judged insufficient, and the inefficiency of seed distribution systems. The generalised use of endogenous seeds slowed down the progress in pod rot control that could have been provided by genetic improvement. However, if producers could be convinced of the merits of improved varieties, whose precocity, yields, and particularly their level of resistance to pod rot had been proven, they would be prepared to pay for such varieties. (Résumé d'auteur)
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