For years, coffee farmers in the North West Region have struggled with multiple challenges including but not limited to poor access to farm inputs, rising costs of fertilisers, and declining yields. These problems, coupled with the effects of conflict and market fluctuations, have weakened the once-thriving coffee sector that sustained thousands of households.
It is against this backdrop that the North West Cooperative Association (NWCA) Ltd convened its mid-year board meeting on Friday, 22 August 2025, at its head office in Bamenda. The meeting brought together members of the Board of Directors and union presidents to take stock of activities and seek solutions to the pressing difficulties faced by farmers.
One major breakthrough came with the reception of state subvention in the form of fertiliser. The cooperative received 1,100 bags, consisting of 60% NPK (20-10-10) and 40% urea (46%). Additional inputs including Arabica coffee nursery materials, polythene bags, pesticides, and bio-fertilisers were also made available, particularly for the 10 Arabica coffee unions. Union presidents signed and collected on behalf of their farmers.
President Ndikwa Peter and GM Waindim Timothy address union leaders
These supplies, coming at a time when fertiliser prices have become unaffordable for most smallholders, are expected to ease production difficulties and boost yields.
According to Ndikwa Peter Bayo, President of the Board of Directors, the distribution will be tied to past production rates, “to encourage unions that have worked hard and remained consistent.”
On behalf of coffee farmers of the North West Region, Board President Ndikwa Peter Bayo extended heartfelt gratitude to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gabriel Mbairobe, for his continued support to the sector. He noted that the government subvention in fertiliser had come at a critical time when farmers were struggling with high production costs, stressing that the gesture was a sign of the Minister’s commitment to reviving coffee and improving the livelihoods of thousands of rural households.
The General Manager, Waindim Timothy Ntam, reassured union leaders that all deserved shares of the fertiliser would be handed out once the required administrative processes were completed. He insisted that no farmer would be left out of the scheme.
Beyond inputs, the board meeting also sought to strengthen partnerships that have been vital to sustaining the sector. In a symbolic gesture, NWCA Ltd honoured Choi Sung Woo one of its loyal partners, with a Certificate of Appreciation for promoting NWCA coffee in Asia. His recognition, Ndikwa Peter said, was a reminder that the survival and growth of the coffee sector depend not only on farm-level interventions but also on loyal markets and partners abroad.
While admitting that traveling with NWCA Ltd for the last 10years has not been easy especially with the over 29hours he has to travel at least once a year from his country to Bamenda, the need for farmer improvement and imvolvement in the entire coffee production process to improve quality and minimise loss, Choi Sung said everything is worth the sacrifice.
The fertiliser support was sourced from the state agriculture sector ministry, while additional farm inputs came through PARF-CAFE (Projet d’Appui à la Relance de la Filière Café), translated as the Support Project for the Revival of the Coffee Sector.
By combining this support, international partnerships, and cooperative solidarity, the NWCA Ltd Board believes that the longstanding challenges of farmers can gradually be turned into opportunities for revival.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Newsroom
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