Enhancing Organic Food Cropping Cooperative (ENOFOCC) is an initiative led by a group of youth who would like to create a youth cooperative for the production of organic fertilizer. ENOFOCC is based in the Nkwen community of Bamenda in the North West region of Cameroon. It comprises five (5) members that work on treating and marketing organic manure obtained from livestock (fowl litter, cow, pig and rabbit dung) waste.
With large populations involved in agriculture in Africa, it presents both opportunities and challenges among which technological innovation, climate change and value chains are key issues in shaping the sector’s production, inclusiveness and sustainability. At this time when arable land has become scarce due to pressure from population growth, agriculture has to be made sustainable and environmentally friendly. It is therefore essential to use compost animal organic manure to boost production and preserve food quality and the environment where production takes place. ENOFOCC’s idea was generated as a result of the need to produce food while establishing an ecological balance in the agro-ecosystem and also with the intensification of animal husbandry in the Nkwen community.
ENOFOCC will be purchasing the animal manure (waste) from the inhabitants of Nkwen village and take it to the production site for treatment and packaging for commercial purposes. Raw manure will be treated by composting. Animal manure constitutes a valuable resource as a soil fertilizer because it improves fertility, water holding capacity, bulk density and biological properties of the soil. The product will be sold in the community at competitive prices that are affordable, and it is also an environmentally friendly alternative to mineral fertilizer.
This project is replicating an already existing idea in the community. Composting of animal manure has traditionally been carried out by farmers in Nkwen community. However, there has been an element of poor quality of manure that has been produced due to poor processing. In this context, ENOFOCC identified the gap and would like to improve on the quality of the manure by enhancing its handling, transportation and management by using a rudimentary methodology.
ENOFOCC foresees an increase in membership and employing a number of youth who will work on the production of manure. ENOFOCC will register as a youth-led cooperative, with the main goal of producing organic fertilizers, farm additives and community sensitization on the values of organic farming.
Additional support needed
- Technical: Training in soil and crop management, specifically in organic fertilizer, soil types and crops.
- Cooperative development: Training in marketing, financial literacy such as book keeping, project management, leadership skills and coop governance.