School Garden Project: Bana, Cameroon Conservation Farming

School Garden Project: Bana, Cameroon

Mme. Wouapi is the Head Mistress or Principal of the Public School in Bana.  The school has 405 students.  Behind the school is a hillside where Mme. Wauapi applied the principles of natural agriculture.  The students planted and grew cabbage, onions, potatoes, corn, beans and cassava using the conservation farming method thus introducing students , colleagues and parents to conservation agriculture. 

Results : A good harvest: one important part was used for consumption , another sold and the last part to keep seeds for the next season.  Cooking demonstrations were held to teach how cassava leaves could be cooked and how meals could be balance.   The money from the sale will permit the opening of a fund to support school activities.  With some of the money from last year, uniforms were purchased for teachers. 

Jean Baptist from Radio Flambeau Banka reported as follows:                                                                    ‘ Corn with mulch is also implemented by the latter Mrs. Wouapi also undertook cassava selective method and the results are expected. It plans to encourage other fellow Directors for the application of these methods of natural culture in other schools Bana . The field school to be monitored and cleaned by both students as teachers . It is a presence as a result of the application of the balanced consumption (she lost a few pounds since the last meeting. Students, colleagues were introduced to prepare balanced meals, use the palm nuts crushed , eat less fat (no oil), fruits, use cassava leaves, peanuts and especially of eating good natural harvest before selling the rest.
Results: preparation with colleagues and students practice activities in the presence of community volunteers
In short, to maintain good health, we must improve nutrition
Recommendation: It is necessary to raise domestic animals (chickens, pigs ...) for droppings, eating good harvest products (not always sell) educate students in schools and involve parents not to throw garbage and manufacture composts.’

We received pictures along the way of the school project.  Cabbages were bigger than a person’s head!  Mme. Wouapi showed pictures from her computer of the corn (healthy, green, tall, productive plants). 

We visited the school.  I was again taken back by the facility.  We first met Mme. Wouapi when she was Headmistress of the Nursery School in Bana, an amazing project initiative set up and operated by community persons.  I have great respect for Mme. Wouapi and even more so when I see the challenges she is facing and the initiatives she takes to do her best in the situation. 

Children were called from classrooms, bringing their hoes, to come to the garden.  It was here that we were first introduced to the fact that the school has NO water.  The latrine, a good looking structure, remains unused.  They said that it is too difficult to clean because of lack of water.  Mme. Wouapi goes for precious water using large jugs.  She travels to the top of a big hill where there is a well and a water storage tank.   Imagine how 450 people are told to use this water!  I suggested that Mme. Wouapi work through IDF to contact the Irrigation/Water specialist to conduct a study to put in a water pump (drill a well) for the school.  This would be an excellent project for Rotary!  As well as providing water for 450 people, three crops could be grown a year in the extensive school garden.

Children stood by their hoes, sang to us, then returned eagerly to their classrooms.  This school operates totally in French.