Abstract

Cameroonians can hardly pretend to undermine the fact that agriculture is an important life sustainable activity in their today’s society. They should therefore be educated on how this important sector of human activity operates. This work therefore intends to show how agriculture has contributed to the development of the Bangem municipality. The work examines methods used to improve on agriculture in the Bangem area. The work is also meant to educate farmers and to inform them on the advantages available from the agricultural sector. Finally, the work engulfs the entire agricultural activities of Bangem. Many methods of facts collection were used by this researcher, including, interviews, and information from written documents. In general terms, the work is hoped at opening up the agricultural sector of the Bangem area.

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

Agriculture in the Bangem municipality constitutes a very important element of development to the people of the area. It has brought about so many changes in the Bangem community as a whole which has helped in solving the problem of rural-urban migration in Bangem and the general development of the area with emphasis on the settlement of young Bakossi men and women back at home. These young men were trained in agriculture while their wives were trained in home economics. Apart from these, other activities were also carried out such as hunting, trapping, and fishing.

Agriculture played an important role in the socio-economic development of Bangem and has contributed significantly to the improvement of the living standard of the entire community. This work intends to serve as a contribution to our understanding of missionary influence, foreign aid in the development of Cameroon as a whole and how agriculture has impacted the lives of people in the Bangem community.

1.2 Objectives of the study

This essay is intended to illuminate the contribution of agriculture in the development of Bangem municipality. Agriculture plays a significant role in the development of Cameroon. The contributions, the causes, the problems, the impacts of agriculture on the people in the area of Bangem and some of the measures the government took to solve the problems will be the focus of this research.

1.3 Significance of the study

This study is designed to help the people on the various agricultural techniques.

The most significant of this study is to help the people of Bangem see the need to invest in agriculture.

Also, to help the Bangem people improved on their living standards.

Finally, to help the Bamgem people improve on their food supply, input, and the proper way to practice group cultivation in the right season.

1.4 Scope and Delimitation of the study

This work has been narrowed to Bangem municipality as opposed to Kupe-Muaneguba Division. In general, it will enable the researcher to come out with ample facts that will become concrete so as to help the researcher achieve his purpose.

1.5 Literature review

Much has been written about agriculture in Bangem Municipality and its contribution to the development of the entire community. Enongene Stella Ndode in her book entitled: The Bangem agricultural settlement scheme, examines the setting up of Agriculture and the activities carried out. This document helped a lot since it is directly connected to this work because the work is intended to look at the contribution of agriculture to the development of Bangem.

Another impressive work that is focused on the area under study is that which is entitled: “Bakossi and their neighbours: A study of conflicts and co-operation from pre-colonial to 1975.” The study examines the Bakossi people and their economy as a whole. The study is of relevance to the research topic. However, this thesis informs its readers the problems of agriculture but a general knowledge on the Bakossi people.

Walter Rodney’s, how Europe underdeveloped Africa buttressed the point that agricultural system under colonial regimes was one of the relative neglect or comparative Isolation since all what the colonizers did was to their own advantage and what so ever they did was as a result of the fact that it will yield them more income for example, in the field of agriculture, they cultivated mostly cash crops and not food crops.

These cash crops were to be exported out of Africa for monetary purposes and not as food crops for domestic consumption. Thus, Walter Rodney shows that the level of isolation by the colonialists in this sector was reflected in the lack of link between African countries and territories within the same sub-geographical region. Rodney pointed out that transportation system under the colonial regime was neglected and if transport is poor definitely, agriculture too will be poor .He helped the researcher in acquainting himself with relations that existed between colonizers and the colonized as well as the contributions made towards these colonies.

1.6 Methodology and sources consulted

Different methods were applied in gathering and analyzing the data of this work. The researcher got useful information from field work, interviews, which constitute primary sources: information was also gotten from archives and documentations. Secondary sources were gotten from the public and, personal libraries like the University of Buea library, and also from the internet, not forgetting published books which were of great importance.

1.7 Organization of the work

This essay has been divided into three chapters. It starts with an introduction and ends with a conclusion. Chapter one deals with the historical and geographical survey of the Bangem area. This embodies a brief history of the people, the location, climate, vegetation and also soils, political, economic and social organization. There is an attempt to give the readers an idea of the area and the people under study.

Chapter two is focused on how agricultural products were marketed in the Bangem municipality, the problems encountered, causes of the problems, the consequences on the Bangem people and measures taken by the government to solve the problems of agriculture in Bangem municipality.

Chapter three examines the contribution of Agriculture in the economic development of Bangem Municipality.

1.9 Problems Encountered

The researcher had financial difficulties in the process of carrying out this work, time constraints coupled with the fact that there were academic papers to be submitted.

It was difficult to get people to provide information for this work.