The Cameroon Gender and Environment Watch (CAMGEW) has rallied hundreds of farmers, grassroots institutions, traditional authorities and government stakeholders in Magba, Njimom and Bankim for a two-day networking event on 25 and 26 August 2025, dedicated to “making Agroecology work.”
With more than 600 registered participants and 60 grassroots organisations, the event combined knowledge-sharing with sports, exhibitions and cultural displays. It also marked the close of CAMGEW’s one-month eco-games, with finals in football and handball attracting crowds from across the West Region. The CBC Hospital Ngounso Magba emerged champions in football, taking home the trophy, while also providing basic health services throughout the event alongside St Jude Clinic Magba.
“Agroecology is more than just farming, this is about building resilient communities, empowering women and youth, and ensuring that rural areas thrive sustainably,” CAMGEW Director Wirsiy Emmanuel told Hilltopvoices at the close of the gathering.
CAMGEW leadership during event
The networking event was as much about celebration as it was about solutions. Forty-seven girls who completed the Girls’ Cradle programme which is CAMGEW’s initiative for girl-child development were awarded attestations, symbolising the organisation’s commitment to education and empowerment.
“These girls leave here with confidence and skills that will help them shape their own futures,” said Sevidzem Ernestine Leikeki, Women Empowerment Officer at CAMGEW.
On the agricultural front, 45 farmers received watering cans and boots after being trained in organic liquid fertiliser production. Early results from the training are already showing, with participants reporting improved yields and healthier crops. Alongside, a beehive construction workshop, basket-weaving sessions, organic farming demonstrations and a traditional fashion parade highlighted the variety of skills being developed within local communities.
Exhibitions of organic farm products created a platform for farmers to market their produce while also promoting environmentally friendly practices. Training institutions such as the Centre de Formation Agricole et Ménagère (CEFAM) Foumban, Veritas Bilingual Polytechnic Magba, and the newly created Change Drivers Comprehensive High School in Ngounso Magba joined the exchange, underscoring the value of linking education to practice.
Despite the colour and joyful nature of the event, CAMGEW leadership and others present did not shy away from the deep-rooted challenges farmers face in adopting agroecology. Poor access to resources, limited extension services and the slow integration of women and youth into leadership roles continue to hamper rural development.
“There is still resistance to new methods and a lack of adequate support systems for smallholder farmers,” Wirsiy Emmanuel explained adding that “Our work is to prove that agroecology is not only possible but essential, especially as climate change is increasingly affecting yields and livelihoods.”
CAMGEW also used the event to highlight the urgent need for stronger partnerships between local communities, traditional leaders, and state institutions. Ministries such as MINFOF, MINADER and MINEPIA, which all had representatives at the event, were urged to expand technical and financial backing to grassroots cooperatives in Magba, Njimom, Foumban, Bankim and Bamenda.
According CAMGEW, the solution lies in networking and collaboration. By bringing together farmers’ cooperatives, schools, traditional rulers, government ministries and private health institutions, the event showcased a model of community-driven development that blends conservation with empowerment.
Traditional authorities led by the Second Class Chief and several third-class chiefs, gave their full backing.
“When chiefs support, the community follows. Their presence means agroecology has a chance to become rooted in culture, not just practice,” the Director of CAMGEW noted.
Women and youth, often sidelined in rural governance, were given centre stage through sports, leadership promotion and technical training.
“Women must not only participate in farming, they must lead. When women are at the centre, the entire community benefits,” said Leikeki.
As the event closed, joy mingled with resolve. The trophies, certificates and gifts symbolised not only celebration but reminders of what is possible when communities unite around a shared vision of sustainable development.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Newsroom with reports
Email: hilltopvoicesnewspaper@gmail.com
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