Abstract

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 to agricultural development, particularly the case of the Program for the Improvement of Competiveness of Family Agro-pastoral Farms and the North West Farmers’ Organization (NOWEFOR). The objective of the study was to analyze the role of farmers organizations (FOs) to agricultural development of its members and their rural community in Mezam Division of the North West Region of Cameroon. Two hundred and eighty (280) farmers’ members of these farmers’ organisations 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 47.14% of the total respondents mean while the fraction of women beneficiaries stands at 27.14%. The contribution of FOs to agricultural development was overall positive as 43.75, 54.2, 41.4, 44.2 and 51.4% of the respondents respectively expressed satisfaction of co-management of projects, involvement in lobbying and advocacy, writing of projects, better follow up, and information and experience sharing to farmers. The contribution of farmers’ organizations on the community of farmers and environment was overall positive.  This study concluded that FOs  are important for famers and the agricultural development of rural communities of farmers.

Key words: Agricultural development, aid, community, farmers’ organizations, role.