Cameroon: Perspectives on Food Security and the Emerging Power Footprint

Abstract

Abstract:The reality that food security is a contested concept and ultimately a matter of perspective has considerable implications for Cameroon's partnerships with emerging powers. This article argues that Cameroon could achieve a more sustainable and equitable food system if greater policy attention is directed toward understanding the range of perspectives that contend to influence food security policy, and to engaging with viewpoints that vie to assess the 'footprint' of emerging powers in this area. The analysis presented below shows that the principal perspectives that compete to influence Cameroonian policy vary depending on the particular dimension of food security or aspect of emerging power activity under discussion. This finding challenges previous typologies, and encourages more nuanced interpretations of debates on these matters moving forward.

Driving force analysis for food loss changes in Cameroon

“…It can be deduced that these important variations were the main points at which we observed the highest increases in FL, since higher FL is also a consequence of having more food available (there was a large production of cassava during that period as aforementioned) (The Economist population found it difficult to buy food to meet their daily food requirements (Gérard et al, 2008). In addition, political concerns including strikes and food riots occurred in many cities resulting in damage to infrastructure and reduced the ability to distribute food commodities leading to significant FL in wholesale markets (Sneyd, 2014). In northern Cameroon, large amounts of sorghum and maize is used as an ingredient in the production of 'bili bili', a traditional alcoholic beverage (Aka et al, 2014;Kubo et al, 2014).…”

“…As a part of Middle Africa, food security issue in Cameroon has caused great 132 concern (Yengoh et al, 2010;Sneyd, 2013;Sneyd, 2014;Sneyd et al, 2015;Dodo, 133 2020). Cameroon is a lower middle income country with a population estimated to over 134 25 million people in 2018 (The World Bank, 2019).…”

Agrochemicals use on carrot (Daucus carota) cultivation and its phytochemicals content at Kedjom-Ketinguh, North-West, Cameroon

“…They consequently start harvesting in June indicating a crop cycle of 4 months. The crop is produced mostly for sale and this shows that consumption of this vegetables is not always usual among this population 8,22 . They are more interested in stable food (starchy food: cereals and tubers) which in most cases is accompanied by green leafy vegetable such as huckleberry 8 .…”

2020 Annual trends and outlook report: Sustaining Africa's agrifood system transformation: The role of public policies

“…Benin and Gambia received tractors from India through donation and purchase credits and received assistance to set up a tractor assembly unit (Kragelund 2008). Similarly, in 2009, Cameroon received US$37.65 million in credit from the Exim Bank of India to import made-in-India tractors (Sneyd 2014). Tanzania obtained $40 million in concessionary credit from the Indian government between 2010 and 2011, which was used to import and distribute 1,800 four-wheeled tractors to farmers (Mrema, Kahan, and Agyei-Holmes 2020).…”