Cameroon; Rotary Seeds For Conservation Farming Demonstration Plots in Bana and Befang

Rotary Seeds For Conservation Farming Demonstration Plots in Bana and Befang

Our trip to Douala went smoothly.  The snow storm in Nova Scotia was well timed, ending around 4am.  Just in time to have the airport running smoothly and the main roads clear.  Our suitcases were checked right through to Douala.  We had to pay Air Canada $200 for our extra suitcase each despite our plea that we were volunteers.  Halifax to Montreal, on to Paris and then Air France to Douala.  Both long flights were 6 hours 35 minutes each.  Excellent really. 

One should really prepare oneself, if possible, for the airport in Douala.  Although much improved, it still is an experience.  Yellow fever check for the certificate is the first stop.  Then passport and visa checks.  All very easy, once you have gone through the grueling experience of obtaining the visa from the High Commission of Cameroon in Ottawa!  Temperature in Douala, 32 degrees and no air movement with our heavy clothes from Canada!  The flight was late (heavy winds in Paris) and the luggage was slow but it was so good to see that the suitcases had made the airport changes in Montreal and Paris and came through safely with us!  Once you have come through the characters waiting to ‘take you through the customs line’ once, you are prepared the next time to tell them you don’t need them!  Than outside the terminal, they surround you like flies to help with your bags (how is it we don’t need help anywhere else thanks to Allan).   Our loyal taxi driver, Euloge had waited two hours for us to appear.  He has a brand new yellow Toyota that he is so proud of!  He brings us to the Somotel Hotel where I have a nice swim and we enjoy supper and dive into bed.   No trouble sleeping.  We were 24 hours in transit.

Euloge was here to pick us up at sharp eight.  We go first to the bank where our TD and Scotia bank cards work well.  We bought a new SIM card for our Cameroon phone.  The new phone number is 237 52 50 37 97.  Then on to the seed store to buy seeds for Bana and Befang Farm projects.  Euloge takes us through the market to three seed stores.  Allan is looking for ‘Cover Crop Seeds’ that will increase soil fertility.  The seed store operator below sold him Morelle Noire seeds in bulk.  Allan carefully put the thin black bags full of seeds into his cloth carrying bag, first removing anything that might have a sharp edge!

 

     

We reviewed seeds at the next store, returning later to buy seeds that they had that the last and best store didn’t have (leeks, carrots).  The last store was great!  We bought two of everything, one for Bana and one for Befang.  Allan got several bulk bags of corn, containers of okra, pepper, tomato, basil, red cabbage, green cabbage, onion, beans, pimento and papaya.  We had the option of buying hybrid seed but it was very costly (10 times the price).  Seed containers varied from 4000 to 8000 each ($8-16.00 Canadian).  In total, we spent $200 Canadian leaving money to buy trees later.  We wanted to buy peanut and bean seed in bulk.  Not available so Euloge is phoning his mother who lives in Baffoussam who will go to the seed supplier today and buy peanut and bean seed in bulk.  We will pick that up tomorrow on our way to  Bamenda.  These seeds hold a lot of promise!