At the Prolinnova Oversight Group (POG) meeting in Tanzania in late March 2011, an application from the recently formed National Steering Committee (NSC) for Prolinnova–Cameroon was approved. This new member of the international Prolinnova network seeks to develop Cameroonian agriculture by integrating endogenous solutions into rural development policies and strategies. It is putting in place a framework for spreading local innovations and for continuous cooperation between smallholders, agricultural advisors and research scientists in research and development. Its activities will include identifying local innovations, giving training in participatory innovation development (PID), facilitating PID, organising exchange of experiences and spreading the results in various forms. Funding for the activities will be sought in-country (e.g. among the member organisations and from donors operating at national or sub-national level) as well as from international donors.
Each member organisation of the NSC is working with farming communities, including farmer innovators. These organisations are:
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COSADER (NGO Collective for Rural Development and Food Security), an NGO concerned with rural development;
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CRAFEJE (Cercle de Recherche et d’Appui à l’Entreprenariat des Femmes et des Jeunes), an NGO working with women and youth in research and training;
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ODECO (Organisation de Développement d’Etude et de Formation et de Conseil), an NGO that focuses on environmental protection and the marketing of agricultural products;
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AIDER (Association des Ingénieurs du Développement Rural), a CSO of professionals in rural development, involved especially in strengthening the capacities of smallholders;
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IRAD (National Institute for Agricultural Research and Development), which is part of the Cameroonian Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation; and
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CAPEF (Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Forests), an organisation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The overall coordinator of Prolinnova–Cameroon is Ms Christine Andela of COSADER; the day-to-day activities are managed by Jean Bosco Etoa. Plans are underway for expansion of the platform to include other members.
