Plantain Multiplication
Plantains are the major food crop in the Lomie area, and are already becoming a cash crop to some extent. Logging trucks leaving Lomie carry bunches of plantains to Yaounde and Douala for markets. Most farmers make a new plantain farm every year by clearing secondary forest, which involves considerable work. This is done because yields of plantains are observed to drop drastically after the first year. During the agricultural assessment, it was learned that widespread and highly damaging pests, including weevils and nematodes, are the main reason that most farmers abandon their plantain farms after just one year.
In February 2008, a plantain multiplication program was initiated by GeoAid Cameroon with Emelda Chiatoh conducting workshops for local plantain farmers, NGO and agricultural staff. Ms. Chiatoh introduced a technique developed and currently used in other parts of Cameroon to produce large numbers of plantain plants, which are free of pests and diseases. The first round of training involved building small greenhouses from local materials. The next step was developing nurseries for growing plantain starts to mature. The plantain plants were then planted in local fields. Participants went on to train other farmers on a wider scale. Demonstration plots showing how a plantain plantation can give good production for several years were also established.
By September 2008, twenty-three local farming groups had implemented the plantain multiplication technique in second and third plantings. The first crops of plantains should be seen in March and April 2009. An evaluation of the plantain multiplication program will be done at that time. Overall, the plantain multiplication program has been successful as food security and income generating activities. Further workshops for other areas of the Lomie district are planned for 2009, using the original participants as trainers. Local plantains are already purchased by GeoCam for the mining camp dining hall. The plantain program will secure continuous supplies of plantains for local populations as well as workers at the mine.
