Over 50 people drawn from different walks of life have been encouraged to get into farming to reap from the huge economic potential in the sector. A 3-day training to drill persons on the different modern farming techniques was organized by a nongovernmental organisation known as Farmpower Cameroon in partnership with Maranatha Baptist Church in Mendong, Yaounde from July 9 to 11, 2020.
Going by the Chief Executive Officer of Farmpower Cameroon, Dr Mbomyam Vincent Andieh, only about 3.2 millions are actually employed out of about 15 million Cameroonian youths in the labour force. He also said about 8.2 million youths have certificates without jobs reason why such a workshop was organised to encourage and support persons through appropriated trainings that will earn them economic benefits.
“Farming is the reason we have multi companies; fertilizer companies, tractor companies, bakeries, pharmaceutical etc. but farmers are poor.” Dr Mbomyam adding that “what will make farmers to be able to increase their productivity is giving them the capacity through human capacity building programmes like this, to enlighten them with technology so that they can use these technologies and make the most of technology with slime margins.”
One of the trainees, a teacher in the private sector, Fambam Clara Nkwenchi, told News Upfront, the training was fascinating. “I used to wonder about getting capital first, but through the seminar, I’ve learnt that, it’s first of all getting the knowledge then striving with the knowledge already in your head, looking for a goal and then fudging forward” she explained.
Photo credit: Rev J. E. R
After failed ventures in other businesses, Kah John Ndzo, another trainee said the programme was life transforming for him. “So far I can say it is an eye opener, it has opened my mind to see the importance of agriculture and how it can change my life. It not only thought us to invest in agriculture, but how to be proactive investors and not reactive investors.” He also expressed his interest to now invest in livestock breeding after the training.
Adding his voice to that of the CEO of Farmpower, Rev Jumbuin Enoch told reporters that the workshop was geared towards helping Christians and non-Christians to get into wealth creation by using their intellectual knowhow (certificates) to something that can put food on their table. “That’s why we even created the slogan, moving from certificate to ‘sabificate’”.
Talking on the spiritual dimension of such training, Rev Jumbuin Enoch said that Christian have a mandate to farm or work in general. “When God created man, his first assignment was to work, to take care, to manage God’s creation and so many people have left managing God’s creation to doing so many other things. We’re involved so that the Christians and everybody will have this knowledge of how to work and better their lives” the Reverend Pastor explained.
To him people can be working in their offices and still keep animals or birds behind their houses. He added that “God intended that we live meaningfully and when we live meaningfully we influence the world better for ourselves and much more for the glory of God. So it is the churches’ business to inform, educate and to facilitate from Christians to everyone, to make living better.”
The trainees of this phase of the programme were given individual assignments which have to be presented during phase 2 and also prepare for phase 3 and 4, which are yet to be announced. A systematic follow up plan for the trainees has been set up to ensure the knowledge acquired, are put into use. The organisers have assured the participants of a ready market for their different then connect them to the markets.
Empower Cameroon with the vision of building and empowering 100,000 individuals financially through farming in five years, held similar workshops in Fombot, West region on June 25-27 and in Kumba, Southwest region on June 18-20, 2020. According to the vision bearer, plans are underway to reach out to other towns