Role of farmer organizations in resource mobilization in mezam division-cameroon

This study was carried out from January 2018 to March 2019 in Mezam Division of the North West Region of Cameroon on the role of farmers’ organizations in resource mobilization, particularly the case of the Program for the Improvement of Competiveness of Family Agro-pastoral Farms (PCP-ACEFA) and the North West Farmers’ Organization (NOWEFOR). The objective of the study was to analyze the role of Farmers Organizations (FOs) in resource mobilization in Mezam Division of the North West Region of Cameroon. Two hundred and eighty (280) farmers’ members of these farmers’ organizations were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire and seven (7) leaders were interviewed using an interview guide. In addition, direct observations were made. The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS. The findings show that women generally constitute 52.85% and men constitute 47.15% of the total respondents mean while the fraction of women beneficiaries stands at 27.14%. The analysis of the resources of FOs reveals that since 1995 till date FOs had received aid from SAILD, MINADER, MINEPIA, SOS Faim, EC, American Peace Corps, VSO, ACEFA, and GIZ. SOS Faim and ACEFA had been the best aid donor to FOs. The amount of aid increased with time from 868,000FCFA in 1998 to 216,160,428FCFA in 2010 for the case of aid from SOS Faim and EU. Also, for PCP-ACEFA, the amount of aid received by FOs increased with time from110, 906,670FCFA in 2013-2015 to 204,764,858FCFA in 2018. Internal resources were mobilized through annual dues, fines, deductions from sales, registration, interests and petty Income Generating Activities (IAGs). This study concluded that FOs are important for famers in the mobilization of internal and external resources for the benefits of farmers and also for the smooth functioning of the organization.