Bonadikombo Plant Nursery Construction
Background
Since its creation CENDEP has been involved in the multiplication and
distribution of eru seedlings to farmers to encourage on farm
cultivation and forest enrichment planting. This was meant to conserve
the resource as well as improve on the livelihoods of the local
population using income from the sales of the product. This activity
was hampered by the lack of propagation equipment. So in 2004, CENDEP
submitted a proposal to the United States Embassy’s Self-Help Program
in Cameroon for support in the construction of a seed multiplication
farm. Following a verification visit to the site by embassy staff, the
project was approved.
Project Description The goal of project
was to construct a permanent nursery (together with semi-permanent
propagators) and to purchase start up materials for seed
multiplication. This nursery would be used for the multiplication and
distribution of eru seedlings to farmers in Bonadikombo village and
beyond. The group was already involved in the production of seedlings
but lacked good nursery facilities. The project would help construct
durable propagators with longer life span than the traditional ones
with shorter life span requiring constant repairs. These propagators
would not only be used to raise eru seedlings but also other NTFP
seedlings for which there is local demand. In addition the nursery
would serve as a facility for the training of other community members
(school children, students and farmers). Also it would provide an
opportunity for the group to generate income for the day to day running
of the organization. This income is very vital for the sustainability
of the group. The project was inaugurated on the 23rd of February 2006.
NB: Over the years CENDEP has strengthened its position as a charitable
organization and as such there has been the need to separate this
component (seed production and marketing) which is now viewed as a
purely commercial activity from its traditional charitable activities.
CENDEP has developed a business plan for this component. The plan can be
accessed here.
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Seedlings Raised
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Results In addition to the nursery, the
judicious management of US embassy grant & member contributions
permitted the attachment of a temporal office. The organization’s
office therefore moved from the Director’s house to its present site. A
year after the inauguration of the nursery the group raised 3250 eru
seedlings and 750 bush mango seedlings that were successfully
distributed. Trials began on the multiplication of bush pepper (Piper guiniensis).
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