CEFORA launches food security project for Buea IDPs

Group picture of IDPs and officials after project launch

By Christopher Ambe

The Center for Rural Action (CEFORA), a Buea-based civil society organization, on Wednesday  October 16 launched a project titled “ Ensuring food and nutrition security to IDPs/host families  through on-farm training ,comsumption and Transformation of selected improved  varieties of short cycle crops”

The project jointly finuded by the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) and the Japanese government ,targets some 120 intrenally displaced (IDPs)  resident in some villages in Buea subdivision and Ekona,in Muyuka subdivision.

The project launch ,which took place in the conference hall of the Southwest Delegation of Livestock and Fishereies  in Buea,was presided at by Mrs. Tabot Margaret Tabi,Assistant Divisonal Officer (ADO)  for Buea. 

Mrs. Tabi  encouraged  the  IDPs to continue to live in hope and trust in God for better days,noting that their displacement from their original homes did not mean the end of their lives.

She advised the IDPs,” Every opportunity that comes your way now,grab it, because knowledge is never useless..

“If you receive  training   on modern farming,endeavor to emerge as a exemplary farmers.”

The ADO urged the IDPs to approach the chiefs in their host communities to lodge any complaints they may have for intervention and strive to co-exist peacefully with their hosts.

She commended CEFORA for its empowerment efforts and urged it to do even more for underpriviledged communities.

On his part, Vagberg Mats Erik Stensson, representative of the UNDP for the Southwest region,congratuted CEFORA for being one of eighteen Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) that were recently selected  to execute a United Nations Development Program (UNDP)- Japanese government grant of about 180 million FCFA  to help effect “Early Recovery and Social Cohesion” in the crisis-stricken English-speaking regions of Cameroon.

Mr. Stensson reiterated the humanitarian  role  being played by the UNDP in the ongoing Anglophone crisis.

He pointed out,”We are here for humanitarian purposes; we are neutral in the conflict;we are here to serve in an independent way; we do needs analysis and support the affected people…to save lives  and restore human dignity” 

According to Hansel Ekwa Itue,director of CEFORA,the project,which started in June and will end in March 2020, was initially targeting 100 IDPs but  due to needs pressure it now supports 120 IDPs.

 Mr. Ekwa Itue added that, the IDPs have already received farm inputs and seedlings and started planting on some hectares of land allotted them by their host villages. 

 “Through this initiative, we are promoting social cohesion, which will lead to peace-building,” he said.

He  also disclosed  that a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) had earlier been signed between CEFORA and chiefs of  Buea villages hosting the IDPs, and that a local crisis management committee for the project, headed by Chief Ndongo of Bonakanda village, was already in place.

Taking the floor, Dr, Ekolle Justin, CEFORA consultant and Scientific coordinator for IRA Ekona, gave an overview of the project and its justification.

“With this project,we hope the IDPs would be busy working,producing their nutritive food and helping themselves with basic needs”,Dr. Ekolle noted.

Created in 2010, CEFORA  focuses on empowering local communities  in domains such as  advocacy, campaign against  violence against women; equipping women and girls with sustainable agricultural practices; training women to be economically viable. 

Although  headquartered in Buea, CEFORA can intervene in other rural communities across Cameroon.