Prolinnova–Cameroon started in March 2011, when the Prolinnova Oversight Group (POG) approved an application from the then newly formed multi-stakeholder National Steering Committee (NSC) in the country. This Country Platform (CP) 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 include identifying local innovations and innovation processes, giving training in participatory innovation development (PID), facilitating PID, organising exchange of PID experiences and spreading the results in various forms. Funding for the activities has been sought primarily in-country (e.g. among the member organisations and from donors operating at national or sub-national level) as well as from international donors. Since August 2016, it is one of the five African CPs involved in the Proli-FaNS (Promoting local innovation in Food and Nutrition Security) project funded through Misereor / Katholische Zentralstelle e.V. (Catholic Agency for Development Aid / KZE).
Each member organisation of the NSC is working with farming communities, including farmer innovators. These organisations are:
- COSADER (NGO Collective for Rural Development and Food Security), an NGO concerned with rural development;
- 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;
- 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;
- AIDER (Association des Ingénieurs du Développement Rural), a CSO of professionals in rural development, involved especially in strengthening the capacities of smallholders;
- IRAD (National Institute for Agricultural Research and Development), which is part of the Cameroonian Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation; and
- 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.
Prolinnova–Cameroon National Steering Committee
1. Alain Beko’o Abondo, CAPEF (Chambre d’Agriculture, des Pêches, de l’Elevage et des Forêts / Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Forests) – NSC Chair (alternate from CAPEF: Lucien Essomba)
2. Amougou Constant, IRAD (Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement / Institute of Agricultural Research for Development)
3. (Ms) Christine Andela, COSADER (Collectif des Organisations pour la Sécurité Alimentaire et le Développement Rural/ Coalition of Organisations for Food Security and Development)
4. (Ms) Gertrude Ngo Bahoya, CRAFEJ (Cercle de Recherche et d’Appui à l’Entreprenariat des Femmes et des Jeunes / Circle of Research and Support to Women and Youth Entrepreneurship)
5. Roger Mongono, AIDER (Association des Ingénieurs du Développement Rural / Association of Rural Development Engineers)
6. Serge Ayangma Ndemey, GIC-APINK (Groupe d’Initiative Commune des Apiculteurs de Nkometou / Common Initiative Group of Beekeepers of Nkometou)
7. (Ms) Sylvie Mbog, ODECO (Organisme de Développement, d’Étude, de Formation et de Conseils / Organisation for Development, Study, Training and Advisory Services)
Ex-officio member: Jean Bosco Etoa, COSADER (etoa_ngbwa@hotmail.com) – programme coordinator
