The study was carried out between 2006 and 2009 to determine the critical period for cattle farming in Cameroon. Data were collected on-farm using diachronic observations of cattle herds and pastures for 24 months. These data analysed with descriptive and Duncan multiple range test statistics, permitted to show that the period from December to April was critical. This period was characterized by poor forage quality in the pastures: 33.3 g crude protein/kg DM (dry matter), 72.8 g minerals/kg DM and 364.9 g crude cellulose/kg DM against 61.3, 93.1 and 326.7 g/kg, respectively found in the rainy season (considered as a better cattle farming period); continuously decreased animals performances: An average monthly weight loss of 13.25 kg against an average weight gain of 14.45 kg in the rainy season and an average monthly calving rate of 2.31% against 5.21% in the rainy season. It was found that this drop in animal’s performances was equivalent to an economic loss of 247,682,998,000 FCFA (378,141,982 euros) per year. These results could serve as decision making tools for livestock sector improvement in Cameroon and other African countries. Key words: Critical period, diachronic observation, poor forage quality, decreasing performance, economic loss.

L’objectif de cette étude a été d’expérimenter une méthode d’évaluation participative d’options techniques au sud du Togo. Pour répondre aux besoins face aux problèmes de fertilité des sols dans un contexte de systèmes mixtes agriculture élevage, des chercheurs ont évalué avec les diverses catégories d’acteurs le potentiel d’adoption de l’association du maïs, plante à fonction mixte alimentaire (grain) et fourragère (paille), et du Mucuna pruriens, légumineuse à cycle long employée comme fourrage et pour améliorer la fertilité des sols. L’association fertilisée avec des engrais chimiques a été dénommée MME ci-après. La méthode utilisée a mobilisé des outils d’analyse de la méthode active de recherche participative (MARP) et a compris quatre phases. La première correspondait à la description générale de l’ensemble de la région d’étude pour identifier des sites représentatifs à partir de la littérature et d’entretiens exploratoires. La seconde phase a permis la caractérisation de la diversité des producteurs à partir d’entretiens auprès des personnes ressources des sites retenus. La troisième phase a concerné la sélection participative d’un éventail d’options techniques comprenant l’association MME mais aussi des pratiques locales présentant des similitudes avec l’association MME, ainsi que d’autres propositions alternatives de la recherche pour améliorer la fertilité des sols et assurer l’alimentation fourragère des animaux. Cette sélection a été réalisée par un échantillon de producteurs représentatifs de leur diversité. Il leur a été demandé de hiérarchiser les différentes options techniques présentées lors de visites de parcelles expérimentales ou à l’aide de supports visuels. Ils ont utilisé des notes ou des cailloux compte tenu de la forte proportion d’illettrisme. La quatrième phase a été celle de l’évaluation aux dires de producteurs des effets perçus des différentes options sur la gestion des ressources agropastorales (eau, sol, biodiversité), leur acceptabilité ou leur rentabilité en fonction du coût de la main d’oeuvre. Cette méthode a été appliquée dans trois villages du sud du Togo. Dans ces villages, six principales catégories de producteurs ont été identifiées : les propriétaires terriens, les locataires de terres, les membres d’organisations paysannes, les producteurs lettrés, les producteurs illettrés, et les femmes. En plus du MME, six options ont été retenues dont l’association MME avec des variantes issues de pratiques locales, soit l’association maïs et Mucuna à cycle long mais sans l’usage d’engrais (MM), l’association maïs et Mucuna à cycle court et à base d’engrais (MMCE), l’association maïs et Mucuna à cycle court sans l’usage d’engrais (MMC), et maïs en culture seul avec apport massif d’engrais (ME). Les deux autres options ont été proposées par la recherche : maïs entouré de haies vives de légumineuses fourragères destinées à du bétail en stabulation contrôlée et dont le fumier était ensuite épandu au champ (MHF), et culture en couloirs de maïs et de Cajanus cajan. L’association MME a été l’option préférée des propriétaires terriens, des lettrés et des membres d’organisations paysannes. Chez les femmes, l’option privilégiée a été l’association MM compte tenu de leurs faibles ressources financières mais aussi de leur insécurité foncière. Chez les locataires des terres et les producteurs illettrés, l’option favorite a été l’association MMCE qui permettait le maintien de la seconde saison de culture. L’évaluation des différentes options a montré que l’association MME et l’option MHF ont été jugées par la majorité des catégories de producteurs comme ayant les effets les plus positifs sur les ressources agropastorales. Les associations MME et MMCE ont été considérées comme étant les plus acceptables socialement, notamment chez les propriétaires terriens mais aussi chez les vulgarisateurs, les consommateurs et les commerçants également interrogés ; venait ensuite l’option MHF. La rentabilité a été la meilleure pour les associations MM et MME et la plus faible pour les deux autres alternatives proposées par la recherche. Cette méthode d’évaluation permet de valoriser l’expertise des producteurs. Elle repose sur la perception que les producteurs ont des effets des technologies. Une perception positive constitue un des premiers facteurs d’adoption d’une proposition de la recherche. Mais pour cela du temps et des outils appropriés doivent être consacrés à l’étape de formation des producteurs sur les différentes options pour que cette perception ne soit pas biaisée par la qualité de l’information donnée par le chercheur. Cette évaluation permet en outre d’identifier ou d’adapter des variantes locales aux options pré-identifiées par les chercheurs. Les efforts de recherche-développement doivent se concentrer sur les processus de ces adaptations participatives.

This study was conducted to showcase a participatory method for assessing technical options in Southern Togo. The aim was to address farmers’ needs with respect to soil fertility problems in situations involving mixed crop-livestock farming systems. In collaboration with various stakeholders, the scientists thus assessed the potential for adopting a crop association involving maize for food (seed) and fodder (straw), i.e. a mixed function plant, and Mucuna pruriens, i.e. a long-cycle legume that is cropped to produce fodder and enhance soil fertility. The chemically fertilized crop association is here referred to as MME. Participatory action research (PAR) analytical tools were implemented in the four-phase method used. The first phase included an overall description of the entire study region to identify representative sites based on published information and exploratory interviews. In the second phase, the diversity of farmers was characterized through interviews with resource people at the selected sites. The third phase involved participatory selection of a range of technical options that included the MME association as well as local practices with features similar to this association, and alternative research proposals to enhance soil fertility and ensure the production of sufficient fodder to feed livestock. This selection was carried out by farmers chosen as being representative of their diversity. They were asked to rank—using notes, or pebbles because of the high illiteracy level—the different technical options presented during visits to the test plots or using visual aids. The fourth phase included an assessment of farmers’ comments on the perceived effects of the different options on agropastoral resource management (water, soil, biodiversity), their acceptability or cost-effectiveness relative to the labor cost. This method was applied in three villages in southern Togo. Six main farmer categories were identified in these villages: landowners, land tenants, members of farmers’ organizations, literate farmers, illiterate farmers, and women. In addition to MME, six options were selected, including the MME association with variants of local practices, such as the unfertilized maize and long cycle Mucuna association (MM), a fertilized maize and short cycle Mucuna association (MMCE), an unfertilized maize and short cycle Mucuna association (MMC), and a monocropped maize crop with massive fertilizer applications (ME). The two other options were proposed by researchers: maize cropped in fields surrounded by quickset hedges of fodder legumes that were harvested to feed livestock managed in stalls, with the dung subsequently spread in the fields (MHF), and strip intercropping of maize and Cajanus cajan. The MME association was the option that landowners, literate farmers and members of farmers’ organizations preferred. Women selected the MM association due to their scarce financial resources and land insecurity status. Land tenants and illiterate farmers favored MMCE as a second crop season is possible. An assessment of the different options revealed that most of the farmer categories considered that the MME association and the MHF option had the most positive impacts on agropastoral resources. MME and MMCE were considered as being the most socially acceptable associations, especially amongst landowners, as well as extension agents, consumers and merchants who had also been interviewed; this was followed by the MHF option. MM and MME turned out to be the most cost-effective associations whereas the two alternatives proposed by researchers were the least. This assessment method makes effective use of farmers’ expertise and is based on their perception of the impacts of technology. A positive perception is one of the factors influencing the adoption of a research proposal. Time and suitable tools are required when farmers are trained on the different options to ensure that this perception will not be biased by the quality of the information conveyed by researchers. Local variants of the options proposed by researchers can also be identified or adapted on the basis of this assessment. Development research initiatives should be focused on the processes involved in these participatory adaptations.

A study was carried out to determine the best forage production period for cattle farming in the Adamawa (Cameroon). Data were collected on-farm using diachronic observations of cattle herd and pasture for 24 months. These data, analysed with descriptive and Duncan statistics, permitted to show that the period from May to November was the best period. This period was characterized by many factors such as relatively high average monthly forage quality in the pastures with 5.89% crude protein, 9.21% minerals and 32.90% crude cellulose against 3.53%, 7.42% and 36.14% respectively in the dry season. There was also a continuous increase in animal performances (average monthly weight gain of 12.66 kg against an average weight loss of 10.73 kg in the dry season, and an average monthly calving rate of 3.82% against 1.86% in the dry season). It was found that the increase in animal performances, compared to the dry season, was equivalent to an economic gain of 289,562,859,416 FCFA (that is, 443,607,418 euros) per year. The best period, so delimited, could serve as a decision making tool for livestock sector improvement in the Adamawa region and even Cameroon and other countries with similar climatic conditions and livestock farming systems. © 2010 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved. Keywords: decision making tool, diachronic observation, high forage quality, cattle performance, economic gain

Socio-economic factors affecting the use of agro-industrial by-products for cattle fattening in the dry season in Adamawa, Cameroon. Cattle production is the major economic activity in the Adamawa. Feed deficiency that causes about 129 to 187 g weight loss per day is an important constraint during the dry season. A possible alternative to overcome this constraint is the use of agro-industrial by-products. However, the adoption and effective use of these potentials are still to be encouraged. This study, which objective was to find out the socio-economic factors that may affect the usage of these resources, permitted to show, through interviews and surveys, that more than 8,200 t of agro-industrial by-products (maize and wheat bran, soybean seed and maize seed cake) useable for cattle feeding were produced annually in Adamawa and that only 16 % of this production were used by livestock farmers. Among the factors affecting the effective use of these by-products, prices were the most determinant. The herds size and the number of sedentary animals had also shown a significant positive effect. On the other hand, livestock farming experience and the farmer’s age had instead shown a strong negative correlation with the use of by-products; same was the level of farmer’s education which showed positive correlation only with respect to cotton seed cake use. The distance from the livestock farming sites to the by-products production/distribution centre and/or difficult access to the sites had strong positive correlations with the by-products’ prices. The problem of supplies as a result of long distance or of difficult access to cattle production sites, the high and unstable prices of agro-industrial by-products and poor awareness of the different types of by-products produced in the Adamawa, were noted as major constraints for their use as cattle feed. Based on the above results, an effective extension system and well organized farmers groupings could improve the level of utilization of agro-industrial by-products for cattle feeding.

Socio-economic factors affecting the use of agro-industrial by-products for cattle fattening in the dry season in Adamawa, Cameroon. Cattle production is the major economic activity in the Adamawa. Feed deficiency that causes about 129 to 187 g weight loss per day is an important constraint during the dry season. A possible alternative to overcome this constraint is the use of agro-industrial by-products. However, the adoption and effective use of these potentials are still to be encouraged. This study, which objective was to find out the socio-economic factors that may affect the usage of these resources, permitted to show, through interviews and surveys, that more than 8,200 t of agro-industrial by-products (maize and wheat bran, soybean seed and maize seed cake) useable for cattle feeding were produced annually in Adamawa and that only 16% of this production were used by livestock farmers. Among the factors affecting the effective use of these by-products, prices were the most determinant. The herds size and the number of sedentary animals had also shown a significant positive effect. On the other hand, livestock fanning experience and the farmer's age had instead shown a strong negative correlation with the use of by-products; same was the level of fanner's education which showed positive correlation only with respect to cotton seed cake use. The distance from the livestock farming sites to the by-products production/distribution centre and/or difficult access to the sites had strong positive correlations with the by-products' prices. The problem of supplies as a result of long distance or of difficult access to cattle production sites, the high and unstable prices of agro-industrial by-products and poor awareness of the different types of by-products produced in the Adamawa, were noted as major constraints for their use as cattle feed. Based on the above results, an effective extension system and well organized farmers groupings could improve the level of utilization of agro-industrial by-products for cattle feeding.

Afin d'evaluer les possibilites d'adoption du Systeme Mais-Mucuna-Engrais mineraux (SMME) pour la fertilisation des sois au sud du Togo, 52 exploitations reparties dans trois villages representatifs de cette region ont ete analysees et classees, en trois types, en fonction de leur potentiel d'adoption de l'innovation. Le type A, caracterise par des chefs d'exploitation majoritairement proprietaires terriens; le type B, correspondant aux chefs d'exploitation jeunes, lettres et en majorite locataires terriens; et le type C, correspondant aux chefs d'exploitation âges, ayant une faible appropriation des terres. Des enquetes participatives, basees sur le classement contingent des contraintes, realisees aupres de groupes d'exploitants homogenes choisis selon les types d'exploitation, ont permis ensuite de degager les principales contraintes a l'adoption du SMME. Ces contraintes, de degre de severite eleve (= 45%), sont par ordre d'importance: le manque de credit/argent, le probleme foncier (manque de terre et insecurite fonciere), la suppression des associations de cultures et la non disponibilite des semences de mucuna. Pour les exploitants de type A, le probleme de semences de mucuna et le manque d'argent pour l'achat des intrants ont presente chacun un degre de severite de 100%. Pour ceux de type B et C, c'est le probleme foncier qui revet une grande importance: il a presente un degre de severite de 100% pour les exploitants de type B et 80% pour ceux de type C. (Resume d'auteur)

In 1992, two potato varieties, Cipira and Tubira, were released in Cameroon by IRAD-CIP, a cooperative project between Cameroon and the International Potato Center. From 1993 to 1997, more than 31 tons of sprouted potato basic seed from these varieties were distributed to farmers. In 1998, a study was carried out in the main potato-producing region of Cameroon to characterize the progress and constraints faced by potato farmers in adopting the new potato varieties. Data were collected through a survey of 297 farmers using stratified random sampling. These data, analyzed using descriptive and student statistics, indicated that 98.6% of the potato farmers were aware of the new cultivars. Their main source of information was other farmers (51.5% of farmers informed). Seventy-eight percent of the farmers were still using Cipira and 62% had adopted it as part of their production system. These farmers (62.6%) reported that the resistance of Cipira to late blight was higher than that of local and European cultivars. The farmers’ average yearly potato production increased from 1.6 to 3.1 tons during the period when these varieties were being adopted. The main constraint to the adoption of Cipira and Tubira was bacterial wilt susceptibility. About 59% of the potato farmers complained of this constraint. Another major problem was the lack of technical guidance for potato farmers from the Cameroon Agricultural Extension Service, from which only 27.3% of the farmers received information. Because of these constraints, 3% and 7.4% of the farmers had already abandoned Cipira and Tubira, respectively.

In 1988, the IRA-CIP potato project was created in Bambui, Cameroon, with the major objective of improving potato production in the country. In 1992, two potato cultivars, Cipira and Tubira, were released by the project. In 1998, a socioeconomic impact study. of Cipira and Tubira was carried out in the main potato-producing region of Cameroon to determine the reaction of the farmers, the effect of the new potato cultivars on the farmers' standard of living, and the level of achievement of the project's objectives.Data were collected on-farm using questionnaires and direct observations. An impact survey was carried out in the region with a sample of 297 farmers selected among the potato farmers using stratified random sampling. The survey indicated that 98.6% of the potato farmers were aware of the new potato cultivars. Their main source of information was other farmers (51.5% of farmers informed). Seventy-eight percent of the farmers were still using Cipira and 62% had adopted it as part of their production system. These farmers (62.6%) reported that the resistance of Cipira to late blight was higher than that of local and European cultivars used in their production system. More than 44% of the farmers believed that their standard of living had improved due to Cipira and Tubira, since they had generated more revenue to improve their family education and nutrition, build more houses, buy more farms, purchase more farm inputs, and open new businesses. In addition, the farmers' average yearly potato production increased from 1.6 to 3.1 tons during the period when these varieties were being adopted.

(Received 14 August, 2001 ; accepted 10 May, 2002) RESUME Pour intensifier de maniere durable les cultures vivrieres dans les zones de terres de barre degradees au sud du Togo, plusieurs options ont ete evaluees avec les paysans. Grâce a des entretiens collectifs de type participatif, sept differents groupes d'exploitants ont procede a un classement par ordre de preference de ces differentes options. Parmi cinq variantes d'un paquet MME (Mais-Mucuna-Engrais mineraux) portees a leur choix, les paysans preferent (1) le MME avec un degre de preference de 66%, a cause de son efficacite en termes de production agronomique; (2) le MM (Mais-Mucuna sans engrais) avec 57 % de degre de preference pour ceux n'ayant pas de moyens financiers pour l'achat d'engrais et (3) le MMCCE ( Mais- Mucuna a Cycle Court + Engrais) avec 54% de degre de preference parce qu'il permet une deuxieme saison de cultures. En dehors du paquet MME et de ses variantes, d'autres options d'intensification des cultures, Mais / Haies-vives + fumier (MHF), cultures en couloirs Mais / Cajanus cajan (Cajanus), haies vives pour la production de biomasse et labour profond ont respectivement obtenu 86%, 79%, 36% et 18% de preference. Les durabilites ecologique, economique et sociologique des options ont aussi ete evaluees par les exploitants au moyen de methodes participatives d'entretiens de groupe. De cette evaluation, il ressort que les trois paquets ayant le plus fort potentiel d'adoption sont: (1) le paquet MME, (2) le paquet MCCE et (3) le paquet MHF. Mots Cles : durabilite, engrais vert, haies vives, mais, Mucuna, terres de barre ABSTRACT In order to identify sustainable crop intensification options on ferralsols of Southern Togo, a series of alternative cropping technologies were evaluated together with farmers. In participatory group interviews, seven different groups of farmers prioritized options. Among five options associating maize with Mucuna cover crop, farmers had a 66% preference for a maize — mucuna — mineral fertilizers option because of its agronomic efficiency, followed by a maize — mucuna — no fertilizer option with 57% for those farmers lacking means of purchasing fertilizers, and a maize — short cycle mucuna — mineral fertilizer option with 54% preference because it enables a second cropping season. Non-mucuna options, which interested farmers were a maize — live hedge — animal manure option (86%) and a Cajanus cajan alley cropping option (79%). Low preferences were given to green biomass production with live hedges (36%) or mechanized ploughing (18%). Ecological sustainability, economic competitivity and social equity of the different options were compared using various appropriate tools. From this combined evaluation, it appears that the three options with the highest adoption potential are (1) the maize — mucuna — mineral fertilizer option, (2) the maize — short cycle mucuna — mineral fertilizer option, and (3) the maize — live hedge — animal manure option. Key Words: Crop intensification, green manure, live hedges, maize, Mucuna, sustainability (Af Crop Sci J 2002 Vol 10 No 3 pp239-250)