Abstract

This study assesses the impacts of climate variability on coco yam productivity in the North West Region of Cameroon, Mankon to be precise. Climate variability is one of the upcoming global challenges faced in some of our societies which has mostly negative effects on agriculture. Coco yam is a tropical root crop which has a significant role in food security and livelihood.

Data was collected using the random sampling approach on about 65 percent of the population of Mankon, by the use of questionnaires .Data that was collected from farmers were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistical techniques which was an evident that climate variability is rising in Mankon. The climatic data results show there has been variation in patterns of temperature and rainfall respectively since 2000-2020 which could be as a result of drop in rainfall amount or land misuse sending out toxic gas to the atmosphere which disrupts climate affecting coco yam.

Recommendations were made such as the intervention of Government in; Subsiding inputs to enable the poor farmers to afford, Forest management programs to also play key roles in Carbon sink. Also, sensitizing campaigns, efficient inputs supplies and finally for Future research which will help identifying areas where cocoyam productivity is highly favorable.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Climate variability is the degree to which climate parameters vary over a long period of time. The impacts of climate variation have led to the reduction of most agricultural outputs, particularly cocoyam which is a food crop grown in the world, Cameroon, Bamenda and Mankon to be precise.

Agriculture is a source of income and diet to about 70% of the African population both large plantation farmers who cultivate on large extensive plots of land for commercial purpose and small holder farmers who cultivate and rare animals on small plots of land for family consumption and commercial purpose. Agriculture is also one of the sectors responsible for climate variability. Farmers in Mankon are dependent on Rain-fed agriculture.

Climate variability has a direct effect on crop production process (Sarr,2012) and indirectly affects soil properties as well as pest attack.

Climate variability can be attributed regionally in the mean climate state and other statistical parameters such as standard variations. Variability maybe due to internal processes within the climate systems or the variation in natural or the anthropogenic external factors (IPCC TAR 2001).

Cocoyam productivity has had some depreciation over the years till date. This includes the shift in frequency and magnitude of weather events as well as slow continuous rise in global mean surface temperature.

The origin of cocoyam is not yet valid, but it is said to have originated from India or South East Asia in the 19th century.

Cocoyam was introduced in West Africa in the 16th century to the 17th century from its center of origin. Today, cocoyam is been cultivated in Latin America, Africa and Asia from latitude 30degree north to latitude 16 degree south.

Cocoyam is a member of the ORIOD and ARACEA family. The plant is herbaceous in nature and is capable of growing to a height of about 2 meters tall. Cocoyam is a root crop who’s leafs are consumed and also medicinal. It constitutes a dominant potion of standard diet for most population in Cameroon.

Cocoyam is a tuber crop, cultivated since the pre-colonial period. Its production can be traced in the World, Africa, Cameroon, Northwest and Mankon in particular. Cocoyam is a crop consumed in many methods; boiling, frying, grinding, roasting. It has a very good content of   carbohydrate and also a very low content of protein (1-2%).

Cocoyam ranks third position after cassava and yam   in the most consumed crops in Cameroon.  Small holder farmers in Mankon Bamenda have been facing low cocoyam yield problems as a result of the effect of climate variability. Resend findings shows that, climate parameters have experienced a significant fluctuation s in the past 5 decades.

In Mankon-Bamenda, cocoyam growth has been threatened by the variation in natural and anthropogenic external forces over 5-15 years now which has affected the demand rate. The affordability of cocoyam has become a problem to farmers in Mankon village. This is because the little harvested is sold at very high prices and as a result of this, many cocoyam farmers have shifted to crops which have adapted to the present climate. According to some research scientist, climate variability has led to the prevalence of Fungus, affecting cocoyam in Mankon a Cameroon in a whole.

A journal article published in September 2013, written by Mbong et at, the Pathogen climate has caused rapid and complete defoliation and crop destruction which is the case with cocoyam in Mankon.

Diseases brought about by climate variability has led to the attack on cocoyam   reducing its output in Mankon village. In 2010, an epidemic widespread in Cameroon between April and November, affecting cocoyam yield. Almost all of the cocoyam planted this period got rotten and the ones harvested got rotten too since it was not eaten earlier. This has affected cocoyam yields till date.  However, there have been reports to cocoyam blight disease, attributed to P. Colocasiae in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea and has been accurate in Cameroon and  Mankon in particular.

Much has not been done on P. Colocasiae in Mankon, Bamenda .P. Colocasiae is a leaf blight disease in cocoyam, characterized by the formation of large brown lesions on the Oomycetes leaching nutrients out of the leafs via haustoria, to create white powdery rings of sporangia caused by fungus like Oomycete  which has caused  the spread  of diseases brought about by climate change and variability, leading to its depreciation.

Cocoyam is a crop used in the preparation of traditional dishes in Mankon and neighboring villages like Nkwen, Bafut, Batibo, Mbengwi and others. In Mankon, cocoyam is been boiled and pound to a smooth texture eaten with yellow soup and also black soup which is made from cocoyam leafs which is same with the Bafut, Nkwen and most Ngebah villages and it is porished in Batibo and  Mbenwi.

The drastic drop in cocoyam yields has led to population of Mankon move to neighboring villages to get cocoyam which is sold to them at a high price, making it difficult for some individuals to afford limiting them from getting the satisfaction of eating their traditional meal.

According to Mboh (2011), in an article  ‘The Farmers Voice’ , Fungus is transported by wind during the dry season and deposited on leafs of cocoyam . During the rainy season, the pores find a favorable condition for their propagation of whether the consumption of infected cocoyam could be harmful to human’s consumption and was later on confirmed that it is safe to consume.

1.2 Statement of the problem.

The profound decrease in cocoyam yields in Mankon –Bamenda is a call for concern to what the cause of its decrease may be throughout these years.

This decrease happened to have been caused by climate variation and change in particular.

These changes in climate, could have been as a result of a drop in rain fall amount or land misuse, sending out toxic substances to the atmosphere leading to disruption in the climate which turns to affect coco yam growth. This has been a threat to the population of Mankon by reduction in their diet and also has led to a unemployment to some cocoyam cultivators.

The slash and burnt system is commonly practiced within Mankon, believed to yield more output of cocoyam, has turned to affect the climate leading to their present problem of low cocoyam yield.

Cocoyam prices increase as a result of the low harvested output and high demand which leads to price increase because of the significance of their traditional meal ‘Achu’ (Taro) which is made of cocoyam.

Also, lack of knowledge on the adaptive measures to the present climate has led to the continuous decrease which will become a greater problem in the future if not amended.

1.3 Research Questions

1. How does the fluctuation of climate parameters affect cocoyam production in Mankon?
2. How are the indigenous of Mankon adapting to this variation of climate?
3. How can the problem of climate variation on cocoyam growth be solved?

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