Project Description and Impact

PROJECT SUMMARY

Key Farmers Cameroon (KFC) is an Agroforestry NGO which aims to alleviate small-scale farmers' poverty and hunger by helping them revitalise land and plant trees. The organisation developed the forest garden approach by which a farmer develops an area of 0.5 hectare into an agroforestry area. It will help over 2000 small-scale farmers and school children in Kumba to set up their agroforestry gardens over the next three years. The schools and communities will be given intensive training in cultivation, sustainable farming techniques and materials such as seeds and tools with which to grow plants. Each area will have a living fence installed, consisting of three rows of plants and trees (2,000 in total) to protect livestock and prevent erosion. In this enclosure the farmers will plant another 1,000 fruit, nut and leafy trees, as well as food crops such as tomatoes, onions, cabbages and peppers. A total of 500 to 1000 hectares of degraded land will become more productive and richer in biodiversity and 500 farming families' incomes will be increased per annum.

Since 2009, the KFC community has successfully been producing biochar to enhance soil fertility. Crop volume has increased by 50%, proving it to be an excellent growth medium. The ‘carbon farmers’ produce 1,000 tonnes of biochar per year from crop waste, e.g. dry cassava stems, palm branches, coconut shells etc., in rudimentary technology. KFC aims to increase biochar production to support communities and schools in Bambutos to improve their recalcitrant soils so as to increase agroforestry and forest volume to become food self -sufficient and to sell biochar standard-compliant carbon removal credits to secure their community’s future against hardship and climate change.

 

The Agroforestry and forestry intervention in schools and communities around in Kumba, South West Region aims to:

 Plant 16 million agroforestry trees at mount Bambutos each year for 20 years with the production and use of biochar. The volume of stored carbon could be as high as 2 million tonnes.

·         Tree nurseries to propagate 2,000 saplings in biochar each year would be set up in 2,000 schools and communities across Western Region of Cameroon.

·          School pupils, students and small-scale farmers will plant all the trees in biochar to enhance soil fertility and increase forest cover.

·         Each school and community must nurture the forest around Bambutos to maturity (20 years)

·          An educational programme on agroforestry, environmental protection and climate change will be given to the pupils, students and small-scale farmers.

·         This project to be replicated in schools and communities in other Regions of Cameroon.

Key Farmers Caneroon need funds/ grants to:

- Buy farm tools, farm equipment, seeds and field machinery to give to schools and community small-scale farmers

- Establish nurseries in 2000 schools and communities in Kumba

- Buy Trikes and a vehicle to transport seedlings to lake barombi for planting

- Buy Kon Tikis and compost machines to produce both biochar and compost to improse recalcitant soils along lake Barombi in Kumba

- Key Farmers Cameroon need funds to pay  the staff of this project.

 

 

Learning Opportunity

- Learn our culture and tradition: Traditional dances, local food, visits to lake barombi and swimming.

- Climb Mount Cameroon ( Located about 10 Km from Kumba

- Cook and eat local vegetable, fish, insects etc

- Cook and eat fu-fu and Eru, Okro soup and garri

 

 

Virtual

This project accepts virtual experteers.

About the Hosting Organization

Key Farmers Cameroon is a Non-profit working on Farming.

Representative