FAO Forage Profile - Cameroon PDF

Country Pasture/Forage Resource Profiles
CAMEROON
by
Etienne Tedonkeng PAMO
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply
the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of
the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or
area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of
specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does
not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a
similar nature that are not mentioned.
The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily
reflect the views of FAO.
All rights reserved. FAO encourages the reproduction and dissemination of material in this information
product. Non-commercial uses will be authorized free of charge, upon request. Reproduction for
resale or other commercial purposes, including educational purposes, may incur fees. Applications
for permission to reproduce or disseminate FAO copyright materials, and all queries concerning
rights and licences, should be addressed by e-mail to copyright@fao.org or to the Chief, Publishing
Policy and Support Branch, Office of Knowledge Exchange, Research and Extension, FAO, Viale
delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy.
FAO 2008
3
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION 5
The birth of Cameroon 5
The role of agriculture in the economy 8
2. SOILS AND TOPOGRAPHY 13

Soils 13
Topography 14
3. CLIMATE AND AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES 18

Climate 18
Climatic regions 19
Agro-ecological zones 20
4. RUMINANT LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS 22

Traditional sedentary systems 22
Major grazing systems 22
Nomadism 24
Transhumance 24
Sedentary stock rearing 25
Peri-urban ruminant husbandry 25
Ruminant livestock 25
Cattle 26
Small ruminants 32
5. THE PASTURE RESOURCE 33

Rangeland 37
Economic aspects of rangeland 38
Improved pastures 40
6. OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF FODDER RESOURCES 43

Fodder legumes 43
Multipurpose trees 44
Supplementation of crop residues and agro-industrial by-products with forage 45
Recommendation 45
7. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND PERSONNEL 46
8. REFERENCES 47
9. CONTACTS 52
Country Pasture/Forage Resource Profile 5
1. INTRODUCTION
The Republic of Cameroon is at the

extreme northeastern end of the Gulf
of Guinea, between longitudes 8 and
16 E and latitudes 1 and 13 N. To
the south it borders Equatorial Guinea,
Gabon, and Congo; to the west Nigeria;
to the east the Central African Republic
and Chad; and to the north a narrow
portion of Lake Chad (see Figure 1a).
The territory is roughly triangular with
a base of about 700 km and a height of
1 200 km; it covers 475 412 km2, with a
population of 14693000 (FAO, 1999), i.e.
31 inhabitants per km2. According to the
World Factbook the July 2008 population
estimate is 18467692 with a growth rate of
2.218%, while Njoya et al. (1999) expect
the population to reach 20500000 in 2010.
Global distribution of Cameroon land area
by type of natural resource (MINEF, 1996)
is given in Table 1.
Forest, park and protected areas,
Figure 1a. Map of Cameroon
which cover 54.7% of the country, are [Source: World Factbook]
an important asset, containing diverse
plant and animal species. Analyses of the crop areas show some disparities between provinces:
North West (31.1%), North (25.1%) and West (24.5%) have the most potentially cultivable land;
in the South West (88.1%), West (86.1%), and the Far North (61.2%) provinces land is almost
completely utilized.
The countrys boundaries were determined at the end of the nineteenth century by the colonial powers
and, in most cases, are artificial, except where natural boundaries occur such as rivers, mountain chains
and the ocean to the southwest. Cameroon has marked ecological diversity and climatic contrasts. It
stretches from equatorial to sub-sahelian and all the African ecological zones can be found. Cameroon has
diverse biophysical characteristics, ethnic groups, agro-ecological zones and socio-economic conditions.
Physically, it has regions that include mangrove swamps, coastal lowlands, plateau highlands, plains and
volcanic massifs. This diversity can also be noticed in its climate, vegetation and soils. On the human
aspect, the country has a number of ethnic groups who are involved in different economic activities
especially at the local level. The country has evolved over time and space in terms of administrative
structures and nature of governance.
The birth of Cameroon

The land of Cameroon is as old as the rest of the world, but Cameroon in terms of a geopolitical entity
with its present territorial boundaries and government did not exist before the arrival of the Germans.
In ancient times, Hanna, the Carthaginian navigator, saw Mount Cameroon and called it the Chariot of
the Gods. It was Mount Cameroon presumably under serious volcanic eruption as seen from what he
wrote We saw at night, he said, a land full of fire. In the middle was a lofty fire larger than all the
rest touching seemingly the stars.
In 1472 a Portuguese, Fernando Po, landed on an island 35 km off Limbe and gave his name to it;
more Portuguese settled there. During the second half of the sixteenth century Portuguese traders noted
the great variety of prawns in Wouri estuary and river and named the river Rio dos Camaroes meaning
River of Prawns. The Spanish version of Camaroes is Camerones, which gave rise to Cameroon. Other
spellings derived from this Spanish version. The Germans spell it Kamerun, the French Cameroun,
6
Table 1: Land area distribution according to the type of natural resource

Provinces Total areas Agricultural lands Forests and national park Pastures and savannahs
km in % of Potential Potential in % of Cultivated Cultivated Total in in % Area in km Park in % km in % of in %
total in km in % the in km in % of km of the of forest total of the
province potential province province
Adamawa 61 992 13.3 13 319 19.6 21.5 830 6.2 29 353 47.3 110.5 0.4 19 320 13.5 31.2
Centre 68 942 14.8 7 778 11.4 11.3 2 616 33.6 38 754 56.2 1 797 4.6 22 410 15.7 32.5
East 108 900 23.4 5 293 7.8 4.9 1 423 26.9 74 807 68.7 12 456 16.7 28 800 20.2 26.4
Far-North 34 260 7.4 6 722 9.9 19.6 4 117 61.2 2 068 6.0 1 883 91.1 25 470 17.8 74.3
Littoral 20 220 4.3 1 715 2.5 8.5 815 47.5 18 505 91.5 5 037 27.2 0 0.0 0.0
North 67 808 14.6 17 032 25 25.1 1 500 8.8 11 996 17.7 7 352 61.3 38 780 27.1 57.2
North-West 17 300 3.7 5 379 7.9 31.1 2 291 42.6 3 811 22.0 3 040 79.8 8 110 5.7 0.0
West 13 890 3.0 3 397 5.0 24.5 2 926 86.1 10 493 75.5 340 3.2 0 0.0 0.0
South 47 190 10.1 5 213 7.7 11.0 1 145 22.0 41 977 89.0 6 880 16.4 0 0.0 0.0
South-West 24 910 5.4 2 277 3.3 9.1 2 005 88.1 22 633 90.9 4 785 21.1 0 0.0 0.0
Total 465 412 100.0 68 125 14.6 14.6 19 668 28.9 254 397 54.7 43680.5 17.2 142 890 100.0 30.7
Source: MINEF, 1996.
Country Pasture/Forage Resource Profile
and the English Cameroon. Today there are two

official forms: Cameroon and Cameroun, in
English and French, respectively.
Cameroons boundaries were decided by a series
of treaties between the Germans and the British
and later between the Germans and the French.
After the expulsion of the Germans during the First
World War, Cameroon was shared between France
and Britain in 1916. The division was confirmed
by the four allied powers in 1919 through the
Treaty of Versailles. The League of Nations later
mandated Britain to administer and develop West
Cameroon and France for East Cameroon.
Cameroon was a trust territory of the United
Nations Organization (UNO) from 1946 until
independence. After the Second World War the
two territories of Cameroon were ruled by their
masters, as Trust Territories of the UNO until
independence. The political development that
ended in independence was pursued by the
inhabitants of the two Cameroons separately.
A social aspect of Cameroon is its bilingualism
at the national level, which resulted from a
peaceful merger in 1972 of the French-speaking
Figure 1b. Map of Cameroon showing the different East Cameroon and the English-speaking West
provinces Cameroon. At the local level many languages
Source: Administrative map of Cameroon
and dialects are spoken.
The country is divided into 10 provinces
(Figure 1b) along with divisions (Figure 2),
subdivisions and districts in each Province.
Yaound is the political capital while Douala is
the largest city in terms of population and the
main economic centre. Cameroon has 204 ethnic
groups among which are the Douala, Bakoko,
Bassa in Littoral Province; Pygmies, Fang, Bulu,
Beti, in Centre Province; Bamileke, Bamoun,
Tikar, Bafut, Kom, Nsaw, Bali, Wdikum, in West
and North West Province; Fulbe, Hausa, Baya,
Mafa, Kapsiki, Guidar, Guiziga, Tupuri, Massa,
Musgum, Kotoko, Mundang in the Adamawa,
North and Extreme North Provinces. The lowest
population densities are in the East Province and
the highest in the West, North West, Far North,
and Centre Provinces. Details of population
density are presented in Figure 3 and 4.
Until the late 1970s the countrys economic
growth was regular, about 5% per year in real
terms, mainly supported by the agricultural and
agro-industrial sectors. Economic policy was
characterized by an investment and prudent
public loan strategy. This period was equally
Figure 2. Administrative map of Cameroon marked by the Governments willingness to
showing provinces and divisions
Source: Administrative map of Cameroon
invest in agriculture and forestry by creating
8 Country Pasture/Forage Resource Profile
several agro-industrial enterprises. Between

1977/1978 and 1985/1986 the national economy,
because of the petroleum boom, registered a
growth rate averaging 7% per year. The
Government took advantage of this situation and
realized major investments without appreciating
if these investments were able to generate
enough resource to cover the loan. This financial
situation equally lead the state to provide high
subvention to public and parastatal enterprises
(Figure 5). This slowly brought the Government
to extend its function from the regulatory one to
the production and distribution without taking
into consideration the negative impact and the
diverse distortion caused by this intervention.
With the expansion of the petroleum industry, Figure 3. Map of Cameroon showing population
agricultural development was neglected and the density in 2000
Source: FAO
sector entered a relative decline. The regression
of agriculture, reflected in its contribution to
GDP, is clear since from 34% in 1977/1978,
this share represented only 22% in 1985/1986.
There were however a slight growth to 28% in
1990/1991 and 33% in 1993/1994.
The dramatic fall in the prices of all exported
products, including oil, in 1986 created a crisis
with a major consequence being the fall in state
taxes revenue. The revenue from oil of which
production had decreased could not generate
enough finance to compensate the decrease in
revenue. The agricultural subsector, which in the
meantime had lost its competitiveness, was not
performing in a way as to attract investments. The
years 1985/1986 were the end of a prosperous
period and the beginning of a crisis, difficult
to predict the scope and importance of. All this
kept the economy in the depths of recession and
between 1987 and 1993 the country was in a
structural adjustment programme (SAP). During
this period profound internal adjustment geared
towards stabilization of public finances and the
liberalization of the economy was undertaken.
This was not enough and external adjustment, the
devaluation of CFA franc, was necessary. This Figure 4.Map of Cameroonshowing population
density (global density, urban density and town
was to help expanding non-oil exports, reducing
population)
the import of goods that could be manufactured Source: Fotsing (2004)
locally, achieving self-sufficiency in food and
increasing the role of the private sector.
The role of agriculture in the economy

Figure 6shows the general economic activity of Cameroon. Before independence and until 1980, agriculture
was the largest sector of the economy (Figure 7), and accounted for most of GDP and export earnings (Table
2). During the 1980s with the discovery of oil, agricultural development was neglected. Underinvestment,
poor price policies, a steady drift away from the rural land to urban areas, increased consumer preference
Figure 5.Map of
Cameroonindustrial resources
Source: Atlas de lAfrique
Table 2. Contribution of the different sectors

to global economic growth percentages
19681976 19771981 19821985
GDP 4.3 14.2 8.1
1 Agriculture 3.7 10.3 1.2
Cash crops 1.9 2.9 2.4
Staple foods 4.0 13.5 2.5
2 Processing 5.1 13.1 2.5
industries
3 Other
industries
including 2.7 44.4 10.2
petroleum
sectors
4 Services 4.9 9.2 12.8
Source: MINEF, 1996
for imported foodstuffs and outdated farming

techniques continued to keep the level of food
production well behind the rate of population
growth. Table 3 presents output of some major
staple food crops from 1995 to 2006.
Cameroon has important and diverse
natural resources (Figure 7). The Ministry of
Environment and Forest (1996) while working Figure 6.Map of general economic activity of
on the National Management Environmental Cameroon
10
Table: 3 Production statistics of some major staple foods thousand tonnes

Years
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Maize 618 750 760 793 785 741.447 738.627 861.456 912.280 966.106 1023.106 850
Millet 66 70.736 70 65 60 51.700 50 50.3 50 60 51.826 55
Rice, paddy 35.3 31.1 37 53.2 67.470 61.271 62.011 44.548 47.175 49.958 52.905 52
Sorghum 460 439.178 400 500 272.218 420 505 541.975 573.951 607.814 523.484 550
Wheat 0.400 0.400 0.400 0.400 0.400 0.400 0.400 0.400 0.400 0.400 0.400 0.400
Cassava 1 780 1 848 1 918 1965.950 1889.191 1918.3 1947.266 2003.630 2047.710 2092.763 2138.804 2 100
Potatoes 35 39 41 42.025 126.089 130.535 134.315 136.342 139.341 142.407 145.540 145
Roots and Tubers 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
Sweet potatoes 150 150 150 147.691 178.272 174.226 175.111 181.976 185.900 190.071 190 190
Taro 750 771 793 815 1028.660 1033.560 1046.620 1079.530 1103.280 1127.56 1152.361 1 200
Yam 120 120 150 253.951 261.648 262.610 264.166 274.972 280.326 286.494 292.796 300
Bananas 980 985.99 800 729.51 622.92 626.33 631.77 692.89 743.47 797.74 855.97 /
Chillies / Peppers 2.9 3.2 3.5 3.7 6.13 6.13 6.14 7.00 7.06 7.38 7.77 /
Onions 25 20 40 41.33 55.84 67.05 67.12 70.30 71.99 73.72 75.49 /
Melons 18 20 25 30 34.17 34.64 34.69 35 35 41.05 44.73 /
Watermelons 15 17 19 23 27.49 27.65 27.65 29.39 30.30 31.24 32.21 /
Tomatoes 60 60 65 69.42 345.36 371.13 369.66 511 398.50 408.06 417.86 /
Bananas 980 985.99 800 729.51 622.92 626.33 631.77 692.89 743.47 797.74 855.97 /
Avocados 45 46 47 48 49 50 50 52 52 54.31 55.84 /
Pineapples 44 48 50 52 41.78 42.86 43.54 45.56 46.97 48.42 49.93 /
Plantains 1250.40 1 190 1 326 1359.15 1156.86 1163.74 1186.96 1237.01 1275.36
Aubergines 0.70 0.80 0.90 1.00 1.15 1.20 1.20 1.20 1.20 1.42 1.56 /
Cucumbers / 80 90 100 110 121.11 122 117.35 120 120 139.20 150.58 /
gherkins
Beans 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.200 2.400 2.514 2.500 2.500 2.500 2.500 2.500 2.500
Okra 17.000 18.000 20.000 22.286 32.539 32.539 32.539 32.000 32.000 32.000 32.000 32.000
Coconuts 4.30 4.40 4.50 4.60 4.70 4.80 4.90 5.00 5.10 5.17 5.25 /
Groundnuts 117 171.24 90.00 129 184.36 196.70 197.63 210.71 218.03 225.72 233.62 /
Oilseeds 55.71 55.81 56.01 56.21 56.41 56.61 56.61 56.81 56.81 57.17 57.40 /
Palm nuts-kernels 1 000 1 000 1 050 1 050 1 100 1 100 1 150 1 150 1 250 1213.70 1221.59 /
Sesame seed 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 2.96 2.95 3.38 3.16 3.27 3.38 3.00 /
Soybeans 4.90 5.10 5.30 5.50 5.88 5.88 5.70 6.30 6.52 6.74 6.98 /
Source: FAOSTAT data 2007. (accessed October 22nd, 2007).
Country Pasture/Forage Resource Profile
Figure 7.Agricultural map of Cameroon

plan estimated that out of a total surface area of 465412km2, 68125km2are agricultural lands and
only 28.9% are actually cultivated. For pastoral production there are potentially 142890km2that can
be used. However, these resources are poorly distributed across the country; in some regions there
are several factors such as tsetse flies or intensive/extensive agricultural practice lacks means, which
preclude intensive development of livestock production, while in others it is the prevailing legal status
of the natural resources that might be a problem.
Macro-economic decisions such as the devaluation of CFA franc and the liberalization of economic
activities were carried out in the hope of restoring the economic competitiveness in general and that of
agriculture in particular. Consequently, there was a 14% increase in the volume of the export commodities
other than oil and oil products, in which agricultural output had a major share. The contribution of energy
Table 4. Major cash crops production outputs (1 000 tonnes)

Crops Year
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Coffee, green 74000 104121 63600 112532 98000 86200
Cocoa beans 134000 125726 126807 125000 116000 122600
Cottonseed 71000 75000 75000 80000 74898 105000
Oil palm fruit 1000000 1000000 1050000 1050000 1100000 1100000
Palm kernels 56000 64000 58000 60000 65000 66000
Palm oil 125000 160708 135000 139000 131979 136277
Sugar cane 1350000 1350000 1350000 1350000 1350000 1350000
Crop Year
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Coffee, green 70500 41000 48000 54000 43620 40500
Cocoa beans 122100 125000 154965 166754 178500 164553
Cottonseed 105000 92566 102160 118000 200000 150000
Oil palm fruit 1150000 1150000 1250000 1213699 1221586 1300000
Palm kernels 66000 64000 69000 70000 71000 75000
Palm oil 138476 153121 162308 172047 154000 160000
Sugar cane 1350000 1400000 1400000 1400000 1400000 1400000
Source: FAOSTAT data 2007. (accessed October 26, .2007)
resources to GDP was essentially due to petroleum products and although data on this sector are scarce,
in 1992/1993 it provided 113billion CFA to the national economy (MINEF, 1996). The contribution of
staple food crops to the re-growth of GDP in real terms between 1993/1994 and 1994/1995 was 6.5%
(MINEF, 1996).
The country has great pastoral potential with 30% of the rural population deriving their living from
the livestock sector and globally representing 16% of the agricultural sector. The low contribution of the
livestock production to the agricultural GDP is, at least partially, due to the prevailing production system
that for cattle, the dominant livestock species, is nomadism and transhumance. However, the increase
in meat demand and the introduction of commercialization into local production systems is bringing
some form of unadapted intensification that is slowly iundermining the judicious equilibrium that
existed between ruminants and forage production. The livestock growth rate during the last two decades
was estimated at about 2.5%. This herd increase will continue to degrade rangeland resources leading,
if nothing is done, to a drastic decrease in livestock population and meat production for a population
expected to reach over 25million by the year 2020 (MINEF, 1996)
Smallholders using simple techniques account for more than two-thirds of all agricultural production.
State farms are mainly engaged with export crops. Subsistence food crops sorghum, maize, rice, millet
and cassava are mainly grown in the north; taro, yams, cassava, rice, banana, plantain, maize, potatoes,
roots and tubers, avocado, beans and okra are grown in the south and traded largely outside the cash
economy. Cash crops palm kernels, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rubber, banana, tea, coffee, palm oil and
sugar cane are grown in the south; cotton and groundnuts are grown in the north.
Cameroonwas a major cocoa exporter but its share of the world market has fallen owing to ageing
trees, low producer prices, disease and labour shortages. Table 4 presents major cash crop production
from 1995 to 2006. Like cocoa, output from other cash crops suffered from labour shortages, inefficient
production methods, lack of inputs and low levels of capital investment. Trade liberalization and the
CFA devaluation of the 1990s contributed to an increase of exports. The supply of animal products has
been declining over the past decade, while the demand has been increasing, as a result of increases in
population and urbanization. The massive and fraudulent importation of meat coupled with the Structural
Adjustment Programme (SAP), which saw a massive devaluation of CFA currency, almost destroyed the
countrys livestock production system.
2. SOILS AND TOPOGRAPHY
Soils
The soils of Camerooncan be classified into three broad groups based on their degree of development
as follows:
1. Soils developed in the ferralitic zone.
2. Soils developed in the ferruginous zone.
3. Young soils developed from varied parent materials (include soils developed from lacustrine, col-
luvial, alluvial and volcanic ash deposits and soils developed on steeply sloping environments).
[For details of the major soil classification system used in classifying the soils of Cameroonrefer to
Yerima and Van Ranst (2005).]
Soils developed in the ferralitic zone

This zone lies south of the seventh parallel with an annual rainfall above 1500mm and a dry season
of less than four months; it includes the equatorial forest. Further subdivisions can be distinguished
depending on the rainfall. A zone of yellow ferralitic soils in a band along the Coastal Lowland region
developed from sedimentary rocks, is highly leached in bases (<20% base saturation) and has a mean
annual rainfall of >2000mm with a dry season that is not pronounced. Towards the interior from this
zone (Bertoua through Nanga Eboko to Yaound) with lower rainfall, soils are usually red with a base
saturation of 2040%. These developed from varied parent materials including granite, gneiss, schists
and micaschists. These soils are classified as Ferralsols and occur in association with Alisols, Nitisols
and Acrisols that have clay accumulation horizons but low base saturation.
Ferralsols have good physical properties and poor chemical properties. Their great depth, high
permeability and stable micro-structure make them less susceptible to erosion than other soils, except
sandy units. Ferralsols have low fertility, no weatherable minerals and cation retention by the mineral
soil fraction is low. Under natural conditions in these soils, the bulk of available plant nutrients are
concentrated in the upper 1050 cm of soil. Nutrients that are taken up by the roots are eventually
returned to the surface soil with falling leaves and other plant debris. If this process of nutrient cycling
is interrupted, e.g. by introduction of low input sedentary subsistence farming, the root zone will rapidly
become depleted of plant nutrients. On cultivation of virgin soils, high yields are obtained that rapidly
decrease with time with increased mineralization of organic matter, leaching of nutrients and decrease
in soil fertility.
Also found in association with the Ferralsols are concretionary soils rich in Fe and Al, variously
called soils with lateritic, ironstone, or ferricrete crusts. Because of their indurated nature they usually
limit plant growth but are useful for surfacing roads.
Soils developed in the ferruginous zone

These, found north of the seventh parallel, are characterized by rainfall of less than 1500mm and a
dry season exceeding four months. Unlike the equatorial domain, the ferruginous zone has a shorter
rainy season and much lower rainfall. Chemical weathering, driven by water, is limited with mechanical
weathering predominating. This results in the development of much shallower soil profiles than the
preceding case. Little Fe is found in the exchange complex so the soils are grey to brown. These soils
are younger with limited weathering and have base saturations over 50% and often greater than 80%.
They have higher amounts of weatherable minerals and thus more nutrient reserves than their ferralitic
counterparts. The dominant clay minerals are phyllosilicate clays composed of smectites, vermiculites,
chlorites, micas and kaolinites, which have higher surface areas, greater water and nutrient retention
capacities and thus are more chemically reactive than the Ferralsols. Low rainfall limits vegetation
growth and organic matter accumulation resulting in low amounts of nitrogen. Though these soils
are more fertile than their ferralitic counterparts, the high amount of soluble products in the system
results in nutrient imbalances that tend to inhibit uptake of other nutrient elements required by plants
for normal functioning. A remarkable feature of this zone is the longer dry and hot season that favours
the translocation of weathered soluble products to the soil surface through evapotranspiration. These
products are not leached beyond the soil profile during the rainy season due to limited amount of rainfall.
This results in the accumulation of precipitates of soluble salts at the surface, often in toxic proportions,
and is responsible for the formation of the type of soils called harde (in Fulfulde = sterile) in north
Cameroon.
Towards the southern edge of the ferruginous zone, plinthite (a humus-poor sesquioxide-rich material
that hardens irreversibly upon exposure develops), which often hardens into an indurated crust called
laterite, occurs. There is also a wide variety of young soils (Vertisols, Leptosols, Regosols, etc.) in this zone.
Young soils developed from varied parent materials

Besides those covered above the following soils that cover large areas can also be observed.
Andosols,young soils developed from volcanic ash, cinders and easily weatherable volcanic materials,
are commonly found near volcanic vents or downslope or downwind from the volcano, where a
sufficiently thick layer of ash has been deposited during eruptions. They are found along the volcanic
axis that stretches from Mount Cameroon in the South West Province through the Bakossi and Mungo
areas to Foumbot and the Adamawa plateau. The principal soil forming process is rapid weathering
of ash to produce amorphous or poorly crystalline silicate minerals such as allophane. Formation of
alumino-humus complexes protects the organic matter from mineralization and leads to its accumulation
in these soils. They have a low bulk density, are dark in colour and constitute the most productive soils
for intensive agriculture in the country.
Fluvisols are soils that lack any major marks of soil-forming processes due to periodic additions of
alluvial deposits. They are found in isolated zones, especially in the plains and bottoms of major river
valleys such as the Wouri, the Benue and the Logone and Chari valleys, and the Ndop and Mbo plains.
Due to their youth they are generally fertile and support intensive agriculture except where alluvial
deposits are derived from eroded subsoil materials.
Vertisols, formerly called black clays or grumosols, have marks of processes that mix the soil regularly
and prevent development of diagnostic horizons. The dominant soil-forming processes are shrinking
and swelling through periods of drying and wetting. They are dark in colour and have a high content of
swelling clays, dominantly smectite, which is responsible for their shrink-swell nature. They are very
rich in nutrient cations but because of their poor engineering properties (pronounced volume changes
with change in moisture, deep wide cracks in the dry season, low hydraulic conductivity, high bulk
density and difficulty in tillage), these soils are not exploited to their full potential. They are found in the
Lake Chad Basin developed from lacustrine sediments as well as in the Benue plain.
Leptosols and Regosols are soils with little pedogenic development found in steeply sloping
environments in hilly to mountainous areas such as Mt Yeye and Mbankomo around Yaound, the
Mandara Mountains and the Adamawa Highlands. Lack of pedogenic development is associated with
rapid removal of surface soil, shallow nature, high erodibility and limited moisture retention; they have
low potential for agriculture.
Gleysols (hydromorphic soils) are soils with signs of excess wetness as indicated by oxidation/
redoximorphic features. They are found in lowlying areas with shallow groundwater or valleys with
impeded drainage. They are found in the big marshes of the Haut-Ntem or Haut-Nyong and the middle
part of the Haut-Noun valleys. Waterlogging is their main limitation. They are mostly used for grazing
or covered with swamp forests, but can be planted to rice, coffee and some food crops, e.g. Mbo plain
in the West Province.
Topography
The relief map (Figure 8) shows that Cameroon is a country of varied landscapes.
The main physical units are:
a. The Coastal lowlands
Figure 8.General physical

map of Cameroon
b. The Southern Plateau

c. The Adamawa Plateau
d. The Western Highlands
e. The Northern Lowlands
The Coastal Lowlands

This vast sedimentary zone stretches from the mouth of River Akwa Yafe in the extreme west where
it borders with Nigeria to the mouth of the river Lakounje. It is interrupted by the extension of the
Cameroon Mountain into the ocean. The coastal lowland zone is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the
west, the Western Highlands to the north and the Southern Plateau to the east. Between the ocean and the
Southern Plateau it stretches out over a surface area of about 150km2. It has an average altitude of 90m.
As this coastal lowland approaches the ocean, some important characteristics are noticed. Close to the
Atlantic Ocean there are mangrove swamps, creeks, sand bars and sand spits; the large rivers that drain
into this zone account for the huge deposits of sand, silt and mud, which in turn result in the marshiness
of the coast. The marshes make it difficult for the creation of good harbours.
The Cameroon coastal region can be divided into two parts:
a) The Lowlying Coast
b) The Rocky Coast
The Lowlying Coast

This zone can be subdivided into:
i) The Ndian Basinto the northwest of Mount Cameroon is characterized by the presence of mangrove
swamps. The rivers, especially the Ndian, split up into small branches that cut through sedimentary
deposits before entering the ocean. Significant branches include Rio-del-Rey, Ngosso, and Andokat.
ii) The Douala Basinis a very low depression with a mean altitude of 30m where a lot of sediment is
deposited. The high rate of deposition can be noticed at the Wouri estuary. Like the Ndian Basin, it
is characterized by creeks, sand bars and lagoons.
iii) The Southern Lowlands: the rest of the coastal land from Douala down to Kribi is lowlying.
Compared to the preceding sections, the Southern Lowland zone has few creeks and the coastline
has very few indentations.
iv) The Mamfe Depression, which forms a distinct zone, some 150 km from the coast, is almost
encircled by a range of mountains, except to the west where its lowlands stretch out into Nigeria. The
depression receives many streams from the surrounding mountains that join to form the Cross
River which links Cameroonto Nigeria.
The Rocky Coast

The Rocky Coast has two sections. The first lies between Bimbia and Idenau; its volcanic rocks
spread down into the sea from Mount Cameroon. Volcanic activity results in stacks protruding from
the sea a few kilometres off the coast of Limbe. This section forms a break in the lowlying nature
of the coastal lands and is characterized by the presence of bays, capes, cliffs and rocky islands.
The second part of the Rocky Coast is in the region of Kribi where the Southern Plateau comes
close to the ocean. The region of Longi near Kribi is bare crystalline schist that sometimes stands as
cliffs at the coast, or splits up into mighty rocky blocks. This coast is clear of sand and silt deposits.
The Southern Plateau

Situated east of the coastal plain, this plateau covers all of the south and southeast of the foot of
the Western Highlands and the Adamawa plateau and extends to the borders of Cameroon. To the
northeast the plateau rises gently into the Adamawa in the region of Bedzare and Meiganga. To the
northwest it is interrupted by a large escarpment between Yoko and Linte. Altitudes vary from 250
to 800m; most hills have an altitude of 650m.
The landscape of the Southern Plateau is monotonous, of gently undulating hills with convex
slopes. These dome-shaped hills, generally referred to as half-orange relief, are prominent in the
Batouri and Belabo regions. There are occasional rocky domes with concave slopes, some bare
of vegetation. In the environs of Yaound these domes reach 1 200 m. Examples are the Mbam
-Minkomand Mbankomo massifs. Massifs that stand isolated are known as inselbergs or sugar-loaf
relief.
Three sections of this plateau can be identified:
a) The western part,with broken relief, composed essentially of gneiss, has deep valleys separating
its hills. Most hills have steep slopes; typical examples include the Mban-Minkom (1295m) and
the Ngovayang chain. This section of the Southern Plateau ends at the coastal plain with a steep
slope that is easily seen at Kribi where rivers tumble down in rapids and falls.
b) The eastern section is a peneplain with characteristic half-orange relief. Its landscape is
gentler than in the west. Its lowest portions are along the Sangha River.
c) The northern section,a transition zone between the Southern Plateau and the Adamawa high
plateau, has alternating depressions and granitic massifs that form the front of the Adamawa
Plateau. Altitudes range from 800m to 900m.
The Adamawa Plateau

The Adamawa Plateau, at an average altitude of 1 100 m, lies between 6 and 8 N, cuts across
the country and penetrates far into the Central African Republic. It is a faulted and upraised block
of the basement complex, mainly composed of granite. The granitic rocks are covered by thick
basaltic flows. Volcanic outpourings have formed some sizeable peaks, the main ones are Tchabal
Gangha (1923m), Tchabal Mbabo (2460m) and the Mambila mountains (2418m). In the north
of the plateau the relief falls very abruptly into the Benue basin; in the south it descends gradually
to merge with the Southern Plateau. The Adamawa Plateau is the main water dispersal centre of the
country.
The Western Highlands

As on the Adamawa Plateau the underlying rocks are old, Precambrian granite and gneiss that have a
cover of basaltic rocks. The Western Highlands are less extensive than the Adamawa, have higher peaks
and a more broken relief. Some high peaks are of crystalline rocks, such as the Nlonako, the Gotemts,
the Guingue mountains, the Alantika and the Banglang mountains.
The main volcanic peaks are in the great fracture line oriented SWNE stretching far into the country
on which the following volcanic peaks can be identified: Annobon island, Sao Tome, Santa Isabel, in
the Atlantic Ocean; on land Mount Cameroon , Mt. Kupe, the Manenguba mountains, the Bambutou, the
Mbam massif, the Mkogam, the Mbapit Mountains and the Mandara Mountains. Mount Cameroon is
still very active today. The Western Highland region has many volcanic lakes and its soils are the richest
for agriculture.
The Northern Lowlands

This region can be divided broadly in two:
a) The Benue Depression, on the northern piedmont zone of the Adamawa Plateau at an average
altitude of 300 to 350m, formed by the floodplain of the River Kebi, is separated from the Chad
Plain and Logone Valley by a small elevation with some peaks, such as Mindif, the Rumsiki
(1224m), and the Peske Bori (1195m) which form part of the Mandara Mountains.
b) The Chad Plain: only a small part is in Cameroon , the rest is in Chad, Niger and Nigeria.
Altitudes are almost uniform and the land slopes gently towards the lake. Much of this plain suffers
from floods.
Major mountains
Mount Cameroon, the most prominent of the West African volcanic mountains, is a heap of piled up
lava reaching a height of 4 095 m that lies in a subsidence zone along the main Cameroon geologic
fracture line. Apart from the Cameroon Mountain, this fracture line also carries most of the high peaks
of the country such as the Kupe, Manenguba, Bambutus, Kom and Oku mountains. Mount Cameroon is
immense with a length of about 50km and a width of about 35km, covering therefore an area of some
1750km2. It starts from the sea and first rises into a small peak of 1713m, Etinde or Small Mount
Cameroon, from which to 900m before rising again continuously until the peak summital plateau of
4070m is reached. On this plateau recent accumulation of solidified lava still raise the peak to a height
of 4095m. The mountain is composed of different volcanic materials that, in many places, accumulate
to form small cones numbering over 75. Some of these cones have craters at their summits where
volcanic ashes, lapilli and scoria can be noticed. Mount Cameroon is an active volcano, which is shown
by the permanent presence of fumaroles and geysers. It is one of the few peaks in West Africa that has
experienced many eruptions within the last century. Its six last eruptions took place in 1909, 1922, 1954,
1959, 1982 and 1999, including numerous earth tremors and earthquakes.
MountKupe(2064m), overlooking the towns of Loum and Tombel, is of crystalline materials and
layers of volcanic flows. Its slopes are almost vertical. In places thick layers of lava flows have been split
perpendicularly into large blocks that stand detached from the main massif; some carry thick vegetation.
At its base, especially around Mbanga, Nyombe and Nkongsamba, and more specifically between
Tombel and Penja, there are over 80 small volcanic cones with an average height of 50 m. Volcanic
materials are used for road maintenance.
The Mandara Mountains in north Cameroon, which form an immense block on the Nigerian border
,are composed of very old granitic rocks; they have three sections:
a. The middle plateau
b. The mountainous northern and southern parts
c. The surrounding inselbergs
a) The middle plateau lies between the latitudes of Mokolo and Tchevi. The south of this zone is a
plateau ranging from 800m to 900m. There are landforms of necks and dykes formed by the volcanic
intrusion through the crust composed of trachite and rhyolite.
b) The mountainous northern and southern parts resemble each other in that they are extremely
hilly. The massifs, composed principally of granite, have been greatly dissected. The northern section,
which is much higher than the southern part, has the highest part of the Mandara mountains the
Tourou Mountain (1 442 m). The dissection of the Mandara Mounts is a result of internal earth
movements and river action.
c) The surrounding inselbergs; morphologically it is difficult to dissociate the inselbergs from the
Mandara mountains; the most significant are in the southwest of the massif, e.g. Popologozom
(1165m), and Peske Bori. Some isolated inselbergs are far into the plains, e.g. the Mindif inselberg
(769m), the Waza hills and many other smaller ones.
3. CLIMATE AND AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES
Climate
All of Cameroonis in the intertropical zone but the climate is not uniform. Different elements account
for this lack of uniformity.
The main climatic elements

Cameroon extends from 2 to 13 N, which gives it almost all the characteristics of intertropical climates which
generally include hot, moist and dry conditions. The south has an equatorial climate up to latitude 6 N; the
rest, between latitudes 6 and 13 N, has a tropical climate. Relief and oceanic effects modify local climates.
Temperatures
Generally temperatures and temperature ranges increase from south to north and from the coast to the
hinterland, but altitude has a strong influence: for example Yaound (1120m) with 23.5C is at altitude
while Garoua in the Benue depression has an average temperature of 28C. In the south, temperatures
are relatively constant; temperature ranges in the north are much greater. Insolation is much greater in
the north: 1 023 hours per year at Douala, 1 841 hours at Yaound and 2 969 hours at Garoua. Low
insolation in the south is due to cloudy skies, higher precipitation and relative humidity.
Precipitation
Generally, rainfall in Cameroondeclines from the coast towards the north and interior of the country.
Highlands receive more rain than low altitudes. Douala receives 4 016 mm annually, Yaound 1 596mm,
Lomie 1 645 mm, Bamenda 2 596 mm, Garoua 1 000 mm, Kousseri 630 mm. Relative humidity varies
in the same order as rainfall. There are four seasons in southern and central regions a long wet season
from September to December, a short dry season in August and a short wet season between the months
of March and June. The north, from the Adamawa to Lake Chad, has two seasons: a dry season from
November to April and a wet season from May to October.
Air masses
The Azores in the northern hemisphere and that of St. Helena in the southern control the flow of air
masses over all Cameroon. Air masses from these high pressure centres converge in a low pressure
zone, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which has the nature of a front and is often termed
the Intertropical Front.
The Intertropical Front shifts following the movement of the pressure centres as the position of the
sun controls the cycle of the seasons. The seasons in Cameroondepend on the dominant trade winds. The
Harmattan blows from the anticyclone of the Azores and the Monsoon from the St. Helena anticyclone.
These winds differ greatly because of their sources, the maritime south and the desert north.
The Harmattan, the Northeast Trade Winds, which are hot and dry because they pass over the Sahara,
are very stable, and blow from October till June.
In January, the St. Helena anticyclone is far to the south. That of the Azores is reinforced and the
Harmattan becomes stronger than the monsoon so the Intertropical Front is pushed further south to
around 5N. North Cameroon is covered by the Harmattan, which brings the dry season.
The effects of the Harmattan are very intense in the north but become less severe southwards. This
wind carries fine sand from the Sahara, leading to poor visibility. Some small streams dry up completely.
Many big rivers reduce in volume, the vegetation turns brown and is scorched in some places. Not only
rivers and vegetation suffer but humans as well. Days are very hot while the nights are very cold.
In the south, especially in coastal areas, these adverse conditions are greatly mitigated because monsoon
winds, though weak, provide occasional showers; atmospheric humidity is higher than in the north.
The wet season

In July (August) the Intertropical Front is above Lake Chad and the St. Helena anticyclone is practically
on the Equator. Monsoon winds affect south Cameroon and this is the rainy season. The monsoon is
very warm, humid, unstable and susceptible to bringing heavy rains, especially when the ascending
movement is caused by relief.
Climatic regions
The whole of Camerooncan be divided into two broad climatic domains:
a. The equatorial domain
b. The tropical domain
The equatorial domain

The south of the country from 2 to 6 N has an equatorial climate, which can be subdivided:
a) The Guinea type, which starts from the coast at Kribi and covers all the Southern Plateau, is
characterized by four seasons (two rainy and two dry) with rainfall ranging from 1500 to 2000mm;
it has two rainfall maxima, e.g. Yaound, in September (long rains) and in MarchApril (short rains);
the first minimum is DecemberJanuary and the second in JulyAugust. This climate is characterized
by high and fairly constant temperatures, 25C on average.
b) The Cameroon typeclimate that occurs on the southwestern coast near Mt. Cameroon and extends
down the mouth of the Sanaga River and the Western and Bamenda highlands is hot and humid with
a wet season of about eight months during which rains are abundant throughout, and a comparatively
short dry season. This type can further be divided into:
i) The maritime Cameroontypeoccurs at the coast and extends to the mouth of the Nyong River.
The seaward slopes of Mount Cameroon that receive the monsoon at right angles are the second
wettest place in the world with Debundscha (10000mm of rainfall) coming only after Chirrapunji
in India. It has high and constant temperatures and high atmospheric humidity.
ii) The montane Cameroon type of the Western Highlands is cool and in the past attracted
colonialists to settle in places such as Buea, Dschang and Bamenda.
Northwards the Cameroonclimate degenerates gradually into tropical Sudanclimat.
The tropical climate domain

The tropical climatic domain can be divided in two:
a. The Sudanor humid tropical climate
b. The Sahel climate.
a) The Sudan or humid tropical climate, extending from 6 to 10 N, has two seasons a rainy
season of seven months and five months dry. On the Adamawa range, however, rains are heavier than
elsewhere because of the relief (Ngaoundere 1500mm), and there rains are often accompanied by
great storms that last from March to November.
Temperatures are cool, 21C on average, but the average annual ranges (6C) are often greater than
in the Cameroonclimate. Rainfall is generally low and rainy seasons often last six months. At the
onset of the wet season the rains are usually torrential and accompanied by tornadoes.
b) The Sahelclimate, which starts from the north of the Benue basin and covers the plains of Mayo-
Danay, the Diarnare and the Mandara Mountain, is characterized by low precipitation, usually below
900 mm, and a dry season of at least seven months. Low atmospheric humidity increases annual
temperature ranges (7C) and the level of dryness. The Mandara Mountains differ from the rest of the
area due to altitude, which results in cooler, more humid conditions (Mokolo 967mm) though the dry
season is still long. On the Chad Plain arid conditions are intense (Kousseri 630mm) and the rainy
season barely lasts three months. The rate of evaporation in this region is very high.
Agro-ecological zones
The major vegetation zones follow the climatic regions, although the relationship is distorted where
humans, soils and relief intervene. Cameroonhas two major vegetation zones, though the change from
one to the other is usually very gradual (Figure 9):
a. Dense equatorial forest
b. Tropical grassland
Dense equatorial forest

This covers the Coastal Lowlands and the southern part of the Southern Plateau. It can be subdivided
into two types:
Mangrove Forest occupies two swampy regions at the coast around Rio-del-Rey and the Douala
Basin. The region Rio-del-Rey, which extends from the Akwa Yafe river in the west to the foot of
Mount Cameroon, just east of Bamusso and inland to Isangele, and down to the coast, is characterized
by swamps, creeks and estuaries; there are raffia palms in swampy places. The second zone starts from
Bimbia through Tiko to Modeka and down to Douala Basin. Trees in this region develop very long roots
that plunge down into the swamps. The main constituents of the mangrove forest are Rhizophoraand
Avicennia, but other trees occur.
Rainforest; this evergreen forest, which lies

inland, just after the mangrove, between 200 m
and 800 m, covers a very large part of the
Southern Plateau. It has been subjected to serious
human attack for lumbering, farms and urban
expansion. Where such disturbances have taken
place, secondary forest may replace the primary
forest, as seen in the surroundings of Yaound.
Primary forest can still be found in the south-
eastern sector of the country, due to inaccessibility
and very little human habitation. The forest is
immense, luxuriant and has a continuous canopy
of leaves. It is dark and damp inside and has a
very thin undergrowth with little or no sunlight
reaching the ground.
Throughout the area, temperature, rainfall and
humidity are high, both in yearly total and every
day. Seasonal and diurnal fluctuations are much
less than in other zones. Trees develop buttresses,
large extensions of trunks and roots at and
around their bases, often reaching 10 m up the
trunk. While the forest as a whole is described as
evergreen, some trees shed their foliage at some
period of the year. It contains trees of economic
importance such as iroko, mahogany, obeche,
ebony and many others. Remnants of primary
forest are also found in less accessible zones such Figure 9.Major ecological zones of Cameroon
as the Djerem and Mbam depressions, the broken Source: Ministre de lEnvironnement et des Forts (MINEF)
slopes of Mounts Fr and Yy in Yaound. Some areas, for example, the Widikum and Bafang slopes
where there are a lot of palms, look very much like primary forest but some of these palms were planted
although most are wild.
The rainforest is the home of many animals: elephants, monkeys, chimpanzees and many rodents.
Moving north from south, the forest gives way gradually to savannah.
Tropical grassland
There is no precise line of demarcation between the forest and grassland zones; the change is gradual.
Areas covered by grassland correspond to the domains of tropical climate. The general term of
savannah is given to grassland vegetation of northern Cameroon; its appearance changes as precipitation
diminishes and also with altitude.
The vegetation of many areas has been modified by human activities and bush fires; some areas in the
south may have supported much denser woodland in the past but that vegetation has been replaced by derived
savannah. Three types of savannah can be distinguished: Guinea Savannah, Sudan Savannah, and Sahel
Savannah. This division is useful, but tends to exaggerate the sharpness of the transition between types.
Guinea Savannah, which lies immediately north of the rain forest, is a mixture of tall grass and trees,
with thick woodland and grassy undergrowth. Further north, trees give way to grass. To the south trees
belonging to the rain forest occur; the southern slopes of the Adamawa in particular and the whole of the
Adamawa in general are covered with such vegetation. Bush fires in the dry season, lit by cattle rearers,
and other human activities help to savannize this area, extending the grassland southwards.
Sudan Savannah, which covers the Western Highlands, the Benue Depression, the Diamare plain and
the Mandara mountains, is a type of wooded savannah where shrubs shed their leaves in the dry season
to withstand the bush fires and dry conditions; they also have thick bark. This savannah gave rise to
the term grass fields, applied to what was formerly Bamenda Province. This vegetation, when young,
provides the beauty of the hills and cattle rearers like it for their cattle. This is the case with grazing lands
at Nkambe, Wum and Fundong. Stunted trees, well adapted to the harsh dry season, stand out clearly
above the grass. An interesting type of vegetation in the Sudan Savannah is raffia palm bush, found in
valleys and depressions.
Sahel Savannah With the drastic decrease in precipitation in the far north, the vegetation suffers from
a long dry season. The savannah becomes very low and scorched by the sun. Grass degenerates until it
ends up in small patches around the fringes of the Sahara. Such conditions are found towards Lake Chad.
As human activities increase, the destruction of vegetation is likely to render the land completely bare so
the Government has, in recent years, embarked on an afforestation programme Operation Green Sahel.
Swampy land bordering Lake Chad can support taller and thicker vegetation.
Gradient, temperature, and vegetation of Mt. Cameroon

The principle that temperature decreases with increasing altitude is obvious on Mount Cameroon.
Vegetation types at different altitudes reflect climatic and soil conditions.
Mount Cameroon has a series of terraces from its base to the summit. From the coast up to about
50 m is a sedimentary plain that extends to Tiko, where it is limited by a small escarpment between
Tiko and Mutengene. Beyond Mutengene the land rises gently up to the altitude of Buea (800m). At the
foot of this mountain the climate is typical hot equatorial with temperatures rising above 23C in such
places as Tiko and Limbe; the natural forest vegetation has been cleared to create settlements, farms and
plantations of rubber, palm and tea.
From about 915m, above Buea, there are very steep slopes covered by thick and evergreen forest
that extends to an altitude of 1700m then gives way to typical savannah vegetation. Hut One is at about
1600m. From the end of this forest, between One and Two, there is a much steeper section that ends at
an altitude of 3000m where Hut Two is and is covered by savannah.
From 3000 to 3500m the slope is gentle, about 30, and still covered by grass that is much shorter than
savannah and can be termed prairie. Between 3600m and 4000m the slope is very steep and the vegetation
is composed of lichens and mosses; this is the summital plateau and has small crests of scoria of over 50m,
large funnel-shaped craters and fumaroles whose temperatures measure between 60C to 80C.
Temperatures on the summital plateau are extremely low; average daily temperatures are about 4C
in the wet season and about 8C in the dry season. In this zone winds can be very strong blowing at
240km per hour. The culminating point is formed of solidified lava and has snow caps and temperatures
are at freezing point.
Mount Cameroon has a crater of 100m in diameter and about 50m deep with vertical interior walls.
The mountain is formed of piled up layers of lava. From base to summit are a succession of basalts,
trachite, phonolite and other volcanic materials. Rainfall on the mountain is very heavy, especially on
seaward slopes.
Hydrographically, this mountain disperses water to two directions, considering those streams and
springs that arise above 3000m. Streams of the southeast flow parallel to each other before meeting to
form the Ombe River. Those of the northwest flow to form the Onge River. The mountain as a whole
disperses water in a radial pattern to all directions.
4. RUMINANT LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
Ruminants, the most widespread livestock in Cameroon, are reared in traditional systems. Cattle, goat
and sheep rearing systems are: nomadic or pastoral, mixed farming and the peri-urban. Production and
management systems vary, from free range in less populated areas, to year-round confinement and cut-
and-carry feeding in densely populated areas.
Traditional sedentary systems

Ruminants under extensive systems rely on natural grazing. Traditional production systems include
scavenging, cut-and-carry production, seasonal tethering, and fattening.
Scavenging, a low-input system, is used by farmers all over the country. Animals roam freely in and
around villages, scavenging food scraps and crop residues. Animals are given no care nor is there any
routine management.Traditional farmers keep stock as a side line to crops and as a hobby.
Cut-and-carry rainy season tethering: extensive grazing systems can no longer provide adequate
feed to livestock in many areas. This system developed in areas such as Bamenda under cut-and-carry.
Stock are housed in the compound, or where forage is available and are fed cut forages. This system is
used where the farmer has insufficient land. There are strict production systems set by the Heifer project
and NGOs in which the number of animals is usually limited. Cut-and-carry is often used in conjunction
with fattening for seasonal markets and is very common in southern Nigeria.
Fattening Some farmers around cities such as Maroua, Garoua buy animals and stall feed them for a
set period. The animals may be fattened for six months to take advantage of seasonal variations in stock
prices. This system is promoted by government agencies in preparation for festive seasons.
Major grazing systems

Grazing systems in Cameroon are extensive; herders do not apply a specific technique to increase yields.
Livestock find their fodder in the natural grasslands and savannahs. The herders way of life is closely
related to the possibility of their livestock finding enough forage.
Herdsmen have had to retreat in the face of expanding agriculture; their major problem is a
compression of their range, both by the northward move of cultivation and southward desiccation.
Many authorities have recommended that pastoralists be sedentarized, but this has not occurred widely.
Would it have been the best solution? Various grazing controls have been suggested but none has been
implemented and problems are increasing.
Figure 10. Cameroon livestock production map

The state of the pastoral environment is difficult to assess. It has often been thought that pastoralism
leads inevitably to overgrazing and a reduction in the long-term carrying capacity. The increasing
degradation of the Sahel area is often seen as an example of large-scale overuse, either as a primary
or contributory factor (Horowitz, 1979). Yet pastoralists have inhabited the area for millennia and the
situation was never so serious. In nearly all cases of nomadism in Africa, movement is a matter of
necessity arising from the level of technology prevailing within the community and the circumstances
of the physical environment. There is little evidence of a romantic attachment to endless movement.
Nomadism is a hard testing faith and its hold is demonstrably weak (Baker, 1978). If there is any
positive alternative, they can quit nomadism. Where settlement has been resisted, the reason lies not in
the nomads wanderlust, but in a defective planning programme. There are three types of grazing system
in Cameroon: nomadism, transhumance and sedentary (Figure 10).
Nomadism
Nomadism is the most extensive system; it is the type of life of herders who have no fixed home and
move from place to place, throughout the year, with their animals in search of water and forage. The
herders life is tributary to that of their animals. Nomadism carries high production risks and requires
large areas of range. It can be seen as a large-scale rotational grazing system that could be ecologically
sound. Unfortunately, a number of factors are contributing to its decay and these are largely responsible
for the continuing degradation of the Sahel and savannah. These include: the imposition of fixed
frontiers at the beginning of the twentieth century; population increase with consequent increased
settlement leading to constant shrinkage of the grazing area available to nomads; the introduction of new
techniques and services (water, veterinary service) without a concomitant improvement of grassland and
management systems; and the social attitude of people.
The true nomad and his herd live almost in a symbiotic form. Cattle are not regarded mainly as a
source of income but as a source of food, a source of social prestige and above all as a means of survival.
Inputs into the system are low, as are the outputs. But that is of less concern as long as it ensures the
survival of the group.
The traditions and the production system of these herders are more difficult to modify than
development theory usually estimates. Their mastery of extensive livestock production systems is very
delicate. Techniques brought from outside the system do not fit well because they are not a response to
an interior social, economic or traditional logic but rather to an outside economic logic or to a social
logic that is different from that of the herders. These techniques are not supported by an endogenous
motivation but by an exogenous one. Extension services provided to herders are not easy to implement.
If they are not carefully planned, they may appear as an attempt to substitute technicians for herders.
Our understanding of the rationale behind pastoral movements has advanced tremendously since
the days when nomads were thought to wander aimlessly on the rangeland. The many types of criteria
behind their decisions vary from year to year and household to household according to changing
social and environmental circumstances, giving the pastoralists a flexibility that allows them to meet
environmental challenges and subsistence needs (Niamir, 1990). This very flexibility is, however, often
interpreted as random, inconsistent and irrational by development workers and governments.
Transhumance
This system involves seasonal displacement of flocks from one area to another, by herders who have
permanent residence, in search of better or suitable grassland. It can be considered either as the next
phase from nomadism towards complete settlement, or as an elementary form of the seasonal-suitability
system that involves partitioning a rangeland into units on the basis of vegetation types.
Transhumance is very common because, after settlement, herders cannot find enough forage around
the village throughout the year for their animals. Temporary migration is more than necessary since
herdsmen do little to improve the grassland. The general mechanisms of transhumance are simple. In
search of pasture and water, herdsmen and their herd follow the rainfall southward and flocks return to
the village in its rainy season.
Throughout the rainy season animals are usually not far from the village. Water is available and green
pastures abundant. At the end of the rainy season the availability of water diminishes, pasture becomes
less and less nutritious, movement of herds towards areas of available water begins and continues as
the dry season progresses. During this period, animals will stay around what water points are left in the
area (boreholes are used in Yar, in the far north Cameroon near the Waza national park) and eat what
remains as standing straw, if fire has not reduced it to ash. At the end of the dry season, with the first
rain, the return towards the village begins; its pattern is regulated by the rainfall. This general principle
of transhumance, however, has a practical modality, which is more complex. Within Northern Cameroon
there are two kinds of transhumance: dry season transhumance and rainy season transhumance; various
motivations cause these movements especially that of the rainy season.
Dry season movement is the greatest; it is due to the lack of forage or water or both. Rainy season
displacement is complex and its reasons multiple. Arab herders of the Makari around Lake Chad migrate
to Nigeria where they remain during the whole rainy season because of disease-bearing organisms such
as tsetse fly, or floods. They return after the wet season. In Diamare department in North Cameroon,
many herders migrate to the southwest because, during the rainy season, most of this department is under
crops and it is difficult to keep animals out of the farm lands. In Benoue department, displacements are
also due to tsetse fly overrunning the riparian pastures. Wet season transhumance is generally shorter; it
covers a relatively limited area and the motivation for it may not be the same in all areas.
Sedentary stock rearing

This is the production system of the settled population. Animals are kept in or near the village through the
year although owners of a large number of animals entrust their flocks, or part of them, to transhumant
herders for the dry season. Agriculture or fishing is the main activity of such people; livestock raising is
a complementary activity. These herds are mostly of goats and sheep, although some may raise cattle.
Most cattle that migrate during the dry season remain near the village of their owner during the rainy
season. Animal production in the wet season is mostly sedentary. Usually there is no shelter for cattle;
for sheep and goats, which are more sensitive to unfavourable weather, farmers build a shelter or use
any available facilities for their protection. The animals graze around the village and during the height of
the dry season are given agricultural by-products: groundnut hay, bean hay, stover of maize or sorghum.
There is a special livestock raising system in central Margui-Wandala in North Cameroon. Matakan
farmers in the area build small, almost closed houses where they keep a young bull for two or three
years. The animal is fed through a small opening in the wall while from another, lower one, the house
can be cleaned. These bulls are specially raised for the Maray feast. It is also common for Moslems,
a few months prior to the Ramadan feast, to feed goats and mostly sheep intensively in a confined area.
Integrated crop-livestock. In this system crops and livestock rearing are components of farming.
Increasing urbanization, if coupled with income growth, provides a growing market for livestock
products from both rural and peri-urban farmers. Mixed farming has many forms. Even pastoralists
practise a form of mixed farming since their livelihood depends on the management of different feed
resources and animal species. With the rapid changes taking place ethnic groups that were traditionally
farmers are ready to acquire cattle and pastoralists are increasing their cropping/arable farming.
The widespread sedentarization of pastoralists and their adoption of crop growing in addition to
keeping livestock, the uptake of animal husbandry and fattening of livestock by arable farmers and the
utilization of crop residues by livestock farmers in exchange for manure are all indicative of a progressive
and widespread trend towards mixed farming (FAO, 1983; and McIntyre et al., 1992). Mixed farming is
established mainly in Northern Cameroon and the further integration of livestock production within local
farming systems will surely become a major strategic goal of livestock development. Many retired civil
servants take up mixed farming because it uses space more efficiently and spreads risks.
Peri-urban ruminant husbandry

Wealthy urban businessmen and government officials practise this system, mainly on the periphery of
major towns in northern Cameroon. Farmers take advantage of the potential of animals as investment
and a source of milk and meat. A farmer may decide to have only cattle or cattle with small ruminants.
Trained personnel are hired to carry out routine tasks. The use of crop residues and agricultural
by-products is intensive and economically combined with grazing.
Ruminant livestock
Livestock play a very important role in Cameroon agriculture, contributing about 9% of the total
agricultural or about 2.1% of the gross domestic product (MINEPIA, 2002). In 1995 the livestock
population comprised about 4.6million cattle, 3.6million goats and 3.4million sheep. These figures
have since increased to 5.9 million cattle, 4.4 million goats and 3.8 million sheep (Table 5). Horses
and asses are grazing species of relatively low economic importance. Accurate statistics on livestock
production and marketing (see Plates 1, 2 and 3) are not easy to obtain because of lack of an appropriate
statistics collection system. Animal production has increased gradually between 1995 and 2004. This
subsector is a source of revenue to more than 30% of the rural population.
The low rate of increase in livestock production is due to the prevalence of some major diseases that
affect the herd such as pateurellosis, foot and mouth disease, tick-borne diseases and trypanosomiasis.
Cattle contribute about 54% of total Table 5. Ruminant livestock population

meat consumption per inhabitant while Livestock (000)
Years
the proportion for sheep and goat is 13%, Cattle Goats Sheep Asses Horse
pig 15% and poultry 17%. Data on meat 1995 4 650 3 620 3 400 36 15.5
production are given in Table 6. 1996 4 623 3 650 3 450 37 15.5
1997 4 737 3 700 3 500 37 16.0
Cattle 1998 4 846 3 750 3 550 37 16.0
Cattle are found throughout Cameroon but 1999 5 500 3 800 3 650 37 16.5
the major production areas are in the West 2000 5 882 4 410 3 753 38 16.5
and North West Province and from the 2001 5 900 4 400 3 800 38 16.5
Adamawa Province northward. Herd size is 2002 5 900 4 400 3 800 39 16.5
very small in the subhumid zone because 2003 5 950 4 400 3 800 39 16.5
of the high prevalence of trypanosomiasis. 2004 5 950 4 400 3 800 - -
Beef production is almost entirely from Source: FAO, 2006.
extensive systems with low inputs (see
Plate4). The traditional nomadic system has Table 6. Data on meat production
low productivity due to poor nutrition but Meat thousand tonnes
Years
has, over the years, met the major demand Cattle Goats Sheep Horse Pig Rabbit Chicken
for beef in Cameroon. For hundreds of years 1995 512 1 303 1 224 1.950 400 0.090 26.5
local cattle have adapted to heat, harsh local 1996 509 1 314 1 242 1.950 400 0.091 30.0
conditions and management, and developed 1997 521 1 332 1 260 2.000 400 0.092 33.5
some resistance to the various environmental 1998 533 1 350 1 278 2.000 480 0.092 37.5
stresses. Local breeds are of two types: Bos 1999 605 1 368 1 314 2.050 400 0.094 36.0
indicus and Bos taurus (Table 7). 2000 647 1 570 1 350 2.050 538 0.094 26.5
The Bos indicus are comparatively of 2001 640 1 570 1 365 2.050 540 0.096 37.5
higher beef yielding than the taurin cows. 2002 620 1 570 1 365 2.100 540 0.096 37.5
There are the Adamawa Zebu (Gudali) and 2003 620 1 570 1 365 2.100 540 0.096 37.5
the zebu of the north (Mbororo). 2004 640 1 570 1 365 2.100 540 0.096 37.5
Humpless Bos taurus breeds are smaller
2005 650 1 570 1 365 2.100 540 0.096 37.5
than zebus, and relatively resistant to
2006 650 1 570 1 365 2.100 540 0.096 37.5
trypanosomiasis. They form a very small
Source: FAOSTAT data 2007. (accessed October 17 th , 2007).
percentage of Cameroon s cattle.
Most cattle rearers in Cameroon are men.
Njoya et al. (1997) reported that elderly
men were involved in cattle rearing in the
Northern region; 71% of farmers were within
the age range of 2450 years while 29% were
above 50 years. In the Menoua Division,
cattle rearers come from two principal ethnic
groups, the Bororos and the Bamelikes
(Yendji, 2000), and most them are males
(97.03%) of which 62.38% are between the
ages of 41 and 80years.
Etoundi (2003) found that in Northern
Cameroon most cattle rearers are illiterate
(51%), and have not had formal training in
cattle rearing. Plate 1. Farmer conducting zebu cattle to market
Planchenault (1992) observed that in
many regions of Cameroon most cattle rearers (70.2%) do not grow crops. Contrary to Planchenaults
findings, Etoundi (2003) reported that in North of Cameroon, most cattle rearers (69%) also grew crops
and only 4% were solely involved in cattle rearing. Yendji (2000) reported that, in Menoua, cattle rearing
is practised by 63.37% of rearers who are also involved in other activities like farming, business, office
work, etc.
Table 7. Distribution of bovine herds in

Cameroon
Species Breeds Percentages
Zebu Gudali 65.0
(Bos indicus) Mbororo 34.0
Namshi
Kapsiki
Taurin
Bakossi 1.0
(Bos taurus)
Kouri
Ndama (imported)
Total 100.0
Source: Tchoumboue and Manjeli, 1991
Dairy development
The two provinces particularly associated
with dairy production are the Adamawa
Plate 2. Cattle market in Douala
Plateau, 1 100 m above sea level and the
Western Highlands, in the mid and high
altitude zone, between latitudes 520 and
7N 940 and 1110 E.
Traditional dairy production

In Africa, pastoralists derive up to 75%
of their food needs from milk (Galvin,
1985). Such pastoralists own about 50% of
Africas livestock (de Leeuw et al., 1995);
in Cameroon, they own most of the cattle.
According to Kameni et al. (1994), most
of the cows milk in Cameroon comes from
Fulani herds. The life of the Fulani revolves
around cattle rearing and most of their income
derives from it; crop production is marginal Plate 3. Cattle market in North West Cameroon
and is carried out by occasional labour. In
this system, milk is from beef breeds such
as the Gudali, Red Fulani and White Fulani
(Bos indicus). More than 90% of calvings are
during the rainy season (Njoya et al., 1999).
Milk offtake starts from 1 to 3 months post-
calving. Calves are usually weaned at 10.5
months. Some lactating animals are kept at
the camping area while the rest of the herd
is taken for grazing. Milking is by hand and
any milk not required immediately is either
boiled and sold as liquid milk or allowed
to sour to provide a base for a sorghum or
maize porridge (Kameni et al., 1999). Milk is
also bartered for grain. When herds are near Plate 4. A young herdsman with cattle in the
urban centres they are the major, perhaps Bamboutos rangeland
only, source of fresh milk for urban dwellers.
In remote areas only a very limited amount of milk might occasionally be sold because of the distance
from markets. A major constraint to supplying milk to urban populations is the effective marketing of
the milk potentially available from pastoral herds. Demand for milk in urban centres is greater in the
dry season than in the wet but, in the dry season with cows on transhumance, pastoralists cannot take
advantage of this increased demand. In the wet season, when cattle herds may be adjacent to urban
centres, demand for milk is low and prices are depressed. The opportunity to capitalize on the demand
for milk, coupled to the need to promote more productive dairy systems, has led to the importation of
European type dairy cattle.
Introduction of exotic dairy cattle

The first exotic dairy cattle imported into Cameroon in the 1930s (Tambi, 1991) were of the German
Brown breed (Atekwana and Maximuangu, 1981). At the end of the Second World War, these were
replaced by Holstein Friesian and an Austrian breed (Pinzgauer) in Buea. Montbliard was introduced
in Dschang and Jakiri for crossbreeding with local cattle. In 1964, a dairy experimental station was set
up at Bambui (Njwe, 1984) and in 1967 Brown Swiss heifers were imported for crossbreeding with
NDama. Montbliard semen was imported in 1975 for crossbreeding with Gudali (Bos indicus) females
in the north country. Immediately preceding this, Heifer Project International (HPI) signed an agreement
with the Government and the importation of Jersey and Holstein Friesian cattle and semen began and
continues to the present time (HPI, 1999). This same organization has trained dairy farmers to use zero
grazing with Holstein Friesian cows that have been imported from Ireland since 1994. Importations of
exotic cattle led to the development of more specialized systems of dairying.
Semi-intensive system and crop and livestock integration

These systems of dairying use crossbred cattle with improved pasture and supplements such as rice
bran, palm kernel cake, cottonseed cake, wheat bran, and soybeans, all in small amounts. Fencing is
common as is rotational grazing. Animals often utilize crop residues such as maize stover, groundnut
and bean haulms, rice straw and banana forage. They are supplemented with agro-industrial by-products
such as brewers grains and tree legumes such as Leucaena spp. and other legumes ( Stylosanthes spp.,
Desmodium spp.). In the Western highlands, such systems are practised by the Tikar (native) population
(Njoya et al., 1999).
Intensive system
Intensive systems are used by a few modern commercial farms, using the cut-and-carry system where
animals are housed and supplemented with concentrates. These systems use pure-bred high-yielding dairy
cows (HPI, 1999). Small-scale farmers suffer from a very heavy workload because of the lack of machinery.
Productivity of breeds used for milk production

Nearly all milk production studies have been geared towards cattle which supply the majority of milk.
The common traditional breeds involved in dairying are the Bos indicus Gudali, Red Fulani and White
Fulani. Their production levels are indicated in Table 8.
Tawah and Rege (1996) reviewed information on White Fulani cattle related to the breeds physical
characters and production parameters. They described their distribution and husbandry and concluded
that the breed is economically important for several communities in West and Central Africa. Although
the population of the breed is large, crossbreeding with exotic and local breeds poses a long-term threat.
Red Fulani cattle are found in many countries of West and Central Africa. They are extremely hardy
and adapt to a wide range of conditions, particularly to arid zones (Maule, 1990). These breeds have
been crossed with European Bos taurus breeds, including the Holstein Friesian, Jersey and Montbeliard
(Mbah et al., 1987; Tawah and Mbah, 1989; Mbah et al., 1991; Tawah et al. (1999a).
Tawah et al. (1998) studied the fixed effects of genotype, parity, age at calving, season and year
of birth of cows on lactation and reproductive performance. Traits analysed were lactation milk yield,
lactation duration, annual milk yield, calving interval, dry period and age at first calving. They found,
as expected, that in Cameroon, Holstein cows produced more milk than any other breed; exotic or
local. Holstein F 1 crosses were also better than any other crosses for the same trait. The season of birth
of cows also significantly affected their age at first calving. Female calves born in times of hardship
(e.g. dry season) took much longer to get in calf. Tawah et al. (1999b) also studied the genotype and
environmental effects of crossbreeding Gudali cows with either Montbeliard or Holstein bulls. Their
study confirmed reports that F 1 crosses are superior to backcrosses for milk production in harsh tropical
conditions. Holstein x Gudali F1 cows were better than Montbeliard x Gudali F1 in milk production and
reproductive performance. The performance of the F2 was lower than F1 in milk production and age
Table 8. Summary of breed performance of animals used for milk production in Cameroon
Breed Birth Daily gain Age Calving Calving Lactation Number of Milk Milk Mortality
weight, from 13 to at 1st rates,% interval, length, Insemination yield per yield, birth
kg 41 weeks, calving, days days per day of kg to 36
kg days conception lactation, months,
kg %
Gudali (G) 22.5a 0.35a 1440 75 511 140 373 3.5
Red Fulani 21.5a 0.43a 76.9b 114b 2.4a 513b 4.7c
(RF) 295a
White Fulani 22.3a 0.27a 76.1 444 175 2.8a 536 4.6
(WF) 465a
Jersey (J) 16.8a 0.39a 924 79.5 419 315 8a 2 681 8.9 to 26
Boran (B) 600 e
2 e
3 155
Holstein (H) 32.7a 0.44a 964 75.4 472 329 2.4e 11.5a 3 202a 12.7 to
3 471b 38
4 750e
HXG (F1) 780 78.9 399 282 1 575 6.3 to 20
HXRF (F1) 927 87.5 403 221 1 551 5.8
JXWF(F1) 1 077 78.8 382 189 1 011 5.6 to
11.5
MXG (F1) 1 140 82 399 258 1 380 44
N.B. superscripts relate to references
a IEMVT (1975/76); b IRZ(1982,1983,1984,1985)b; c Mbah (1984) and Mbah et al.(1987); d Tawah and Mbah (1989); e HPI (1999);
Bayemi et al., 2005
at first calving. The authors recommended that Montbeliard x Gudali crosses be used for dairy-beef
production because of their dual purpose nature while Holstein x Gudali crosses may be better suited
for moderately intensive dairy production in the Cameroon Highlands and similar environments. Kamga
et al. (2001) working with Holstein, Jersey and their crosses with Gudali confirmed the suitability of
Holstein x Gudali crosses for milk production in Cameroon.
Domestic milk production and demand

The country has six million cattle with 4% of them dairy cows (Figure 11: FAO 19701999). The number
of cattle has been increasing consistently for over 30 years. The percentage of milking cows relative to
the total number of cattle has decreased, particularly in the late 1970s. Milking cows considered were
those that have been milked even if the milk was subsequently given to the calf. This definition does
not concern milk sucked by calves (FAO, 2000). This drop may have been associated to the fact that
for eight years, 1971 to 1979, the total number of cows sold to neighbouring countries was nearly three
times more (53972head) than the number exported during a period of 12 years after that date (18 830
head; 1980 to 1992). This exportation was done irrespective of gender.
The increase in number of dairy cows in the 1990s resulted from the new surge towards high-yielding
imported stock to increase domestic production. Annual per capita milk production in Cameroon was
estimated at 5.1kg (MINPAT, 1986) while consumption was estimated at 10kg by Von Masow (1984).
Total domestic production of milk was 50000tonnes (Tambi, 1991). In 1999, per capita production stood
at 12.8kg while per capita consumption was 15.3kg in 1998 (calculated from FAO, 2000). In fact milk
production in the country has substantially increased (from 48000tonnes to 184000tonnes). However,
production is far from satisfying local demand for milk and dairy products. Since the devaluation of the
CFA franc in 1994, the price of imported milk and milk products has more than doubled. Teuscher et al.
(1992) estimated the level of imports of milk and milk products was 11480tonnes, which represented
about 50% of the adult per capita consumption. The low per capita consumption in subsequent years (less
than half of Africas) reflects limits on imports of dairy products, standing at only 23% of total per capita
consumption. Consequently, local milk can compete with imported products. Previously the availability
of cheap products in international markets supported low consumer prices in the country. Approximately
50% of the population are urban dwellers. Figure 12 shows that, although urban population is rapidly
increasing, imports of milk have slowed down.
This trend was confirmed by ILCA (1993). The present situation creates an extraordinary opportunity
for dairy development. This reality has led some peri-urban farmers to use pure-bred Holstein Friesian
Figure 11. Production patterns in Cameroon

Source: Bayemi et al., 2005
Figure 12. Dairy product imports relative to urban population

Source: Bayemi et al., 2005
cows. To maximize profit, these animals have been imported for commercial production in increasing
numbers over the last five years. For a sound and progressive development of the sector, dairy
cooperative societies were formed (e.g. the Projet laitier in Ngaoundr, Adamaoua in the Northern
part of the country and TADU dairy cooperative and Bamenda Dairy Cooperative Society in the North
West). A private dairy processing company, Sotramilk, ensures the purchase of their liquid milk.
A study conducted by Vabi and Tambi (1995) revealed that urban dwellers had a high preference for
fresh milk with a mean household consumption of 3kg for the high-income households, 2kg for the
medium- and 1kg for the low-income households. Although high-income households spent more money
on fresh milk compared to the medium- and low-income households, the proportion of income spent on
fresh milk was lowest for the high, followed by medium- and low-income households.
Constraints to milk production

Traditional dairy management, though sustainable for centuries, does not supply enough milk to meet
the demand. Improvement in milk production is possible through introduction of European type dairy
breeds. Though adapting to the environment, these breeds and their crosses are susceptible to the
challenging Cameroon environment. Constraints to dairy production are listed in Table 9.
Table 9. Tabulated constraints to dairy cattle in Cameroon

Constraints Source
Nutrition 1. Traditional grasses are of low nutritive value and demand adequate Njoya et al., 1999
supplementation; in February, native Sporobolus africanus only contains 4.5%
crude protein on a dry matter basis.

2. There is inadequate pasture management. Some areas are densely
populated, leading to insufficient grazing land. Consequently many dairy
farmers endeavour to cultivate grass.
Breeding and 1. Unavailability of good dairy stock. Many people wish to get involved in HPI, 1999
management dairy business but either they do not find dairy heifers for purchase or more
often they are very expensive to be bought on cash. Some NGOs give loans
to farmers in this line, to be paid in kind with a heifer or a bull of the same
breeds 3 years later.
2. There is a long calving to conception period with a mean of ( 185 105 Njoya et al., 1999
days) indicating a great need of increasing reproductive performance on
farms.
3. In improved systems (semi intensive and intensive) there are problems
with heat detection and low A.I. success rates.
Health 1. Ticks and tick-borne diseases are an obstacle to the introduction of exotic Mbah, 1982 a, b;Merlin et al., 1986;
dairy breeds. Merlin 1987 Merlin et al., 1987;
They show a high susceptibility to Babesiosis, heartwater and dermatophilosis. Bayemi, 1991 Ndi et al., 1991;
Attempts to control ticks with acaricides have been proposed. Douffissa, 1993 Staschurski, 1993;
Ndi et al., 1998
2. Brucellosis Martrenchar et al., 1995
3. Haemorrhagic septicaemia Martrenchar and Njanpop, 1994
4. Gastrointestinal parasites: Toxocara, Strongyloides, Coccidia Trichuris, Chollet et al., 1994
Moniezia, Fasciola and paramphistomes.
Deworming with anthelmintic has been recommended
5. Foot and mouth disease is common. Ekue et al., 1990 Bronsvoort et al.,
2002
6.There are inadequate veterinary inputs by dairy farmers. Most of them keep Mbanya et al., 1995
their animals indoors,because of the fear of high tick load and worm loads.
Exotic breeds though highly performing are very susceptible to parasites and
heat stress with very high mortality rates.
7. Because of high costs of conventional veterinary medicine. Many farmers Nfi et al., 2001
use ethno veterinary medicine
Processing, 1. Limited quantity of milk for processing and consumption in urban areas HPI, 1999
marketing,
consumption 2. Farmers who are far from urban centres cannot easily sell their milk. HPI, 1999 Kameni et al., 1999
Consequently, cows are milked once day to sustain the family needs.
At farm level, there are no cooling or storage facilities for fresh milk as well as
a lack of processing facilities and technical know-how.
In peri urban areas there is no collection of evening milk for processing.
Therefore, milk is mainly consumed by family and fed to pet animals and calves.
Milk processing Table 10. Mean values obtained by the analysis

Traditionally, cows are milked once daily, in the of 12 samples of Bafut cheese
morning, mainly by women and children. The calf Properties Mean Range
is allowed to suckle to induce milk let down in Fat (%) 25.0 17.529.5
zebus. The milk is low in microbial quality and Protein (%) 26.1 22.233.6
only lasts for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature Moisture (%) 41.6 40.345.1
(ambient temperatures are 30 to 35oC) in the north. Fat-in-Dry-Matter (%) 42.8 38.549.5
In the Western Highlands where temperatures are Titratable Acidity (%) 2.1 1.82.6
moderate (18 to 22 oC) its shelf life is slightly pH 4.3 3.94.6
longer. Traditional processing is done by women; Total Volatile Substances (%) 0.09 0.050.15
local dairy products are sold in markets and shops Free Fatty Acids (%) 0.3 0.180.33
in urban areas. Kameni et al. (1999) classified Salt (%) 1.3 1.011.53
dairy products as those from traditional or modern
processing methods. Dairy plants make sweetened
yoghurt, set yoghurt (natural), stirred fruit yoghurt, stirred plain yoghurt and cheese. Products found at
household level include Pendidam (fermented milk), Kindirmu (set yoghurt), heat treated milk, Lebol
(butter), Nebam (butter oil) and sour milk.
Milk is pasteurized by the processing plants of Sotramilk and Projet Laitier. Another plant is being
built at Tadu near Kumbo. These plants do not run at full capacity but ensure that seasonal volumes of
surplus milk are efficiently utilized. Imele et al.(1999) determined the composition of milk from White
Fulani cows as: butter fat (3.890.17%), protein (3.520.21%), total solids (12.690.43%), solids-not-
fat (8.790.44%). Kameni et al.(1994 and 1998) studied the production of cheese in Cameroon. Studies
of Bafut cheese showed that a typical Bafut cheese is hard, cylindrical and of 2 kg in weight and covered
with a dry, hard rind formed by moisture loss during maturation. Its properties are indicated in Table 10.
Marketing
In the dry season market demand in Cameroon for milk products is very high but milk is scarce because
cattle are on transhumance. Even when milk is available, the lack of refrigeration at farm level forces
producers to make and market their products every day. The marketing system is mainly informal. In
Garoua there are large herds of cattle and a lot of milk in the rainy season. Women carry milk products
and walk around town to retail them. In Maroua where milk output is low and dairy products expensive,
sites have been provided for the sale of milk in the main market. In Bamenda, milk collection is done
on major axes with refrigerated vans by Sotramilk. This dairy plant collects 100litres/day in January
and 500litres/day September-October (peak). They use blended and reconstituted milk to make their
products (Mbanya et al., 1995). Farmers form cooperatives to ensure better marketing of their milk.
Tambi and Vabi (1994), surveying one cooperative, said that the financial responsibility of the household
head (gender), input cost and price significantly influence market supply. They stated however that price
is relatively inflexible to changes in market supply.
Small ruminants
Small ruminants are found all over Cameroon. They are estimated at about 8.2million head, with goats
out-numbering sheep. These animals, which are kept mostly for their meat and skins, are slaughtered
during festive occasions or daily for meat in both urban and rural areas. Although there is some seasonal
movement of pastoral sheep, mainly in northern Cameroon , most small ruminants are sedentary village
livestock. Traditional feeding of goats and sheep is based on agricultural by-products, grazing on fallow,
scavenging and browsing.
Goats
Some of the main breeds are the West African Dwarf, and the long-legged or Sahel, Zaghawa, Foulb,
Arabe. These animals survive in most environments. West African Dwarf goats are kept in the forest
zones while in the northern part there are both West African Dwarf goats and the other breeds. The
commonest production system is that of seasonal confinement, particularly in the cropping season, and
scavenging during the remainder of the year. Goats and sheep provide over 13% of all meat consumed
in Cameroon (MINEPIA, 2002). There is marked variation in demand coinciding mainly with Christian
religious ceremonies or funeral celebration particularly in the south of the country. Pamo et al. (2007)
review some major studies carried out on goat production in Africa during the past 40 years. The
study covers research in goat management, feeding and nutrition and reproduction. Not surprisingly,
none of these topics has been investigated in a coherent and sustained manner. Results often vary,
not only between reports and breeds, but also within breeds. The review highlights the gaps in our
knowledge that need to be filled in order to develop a coherent problem-solving package for sustained
goat production. Increased research is needed into adapted forage production system for sustained
development of specific breeds, as well as in the area of nutrition, reproduction, environmental stress and
their possible interactions. Greater knowledge is also required about the understanding of the farmers,
the characteristics of their enterprises and their available resources.
Sheep
Sheep play an important socio-economic role in the life of the population, particularly Moslems. The
main types of sheep are Uda, and West African Dwarf, Zaghawa, Arabe, Choa arabe, Foulbe and Kotoko,
although some minor breeds or cross-breeds can be found in some very limited areas. West African
Dwarf sheep are mainly kept in the south while both main breeds are raised throughout the north. All
Cameroon sheep are used for meat. In the north, they are eaten regularly and form part of the daily
protein supply, but there is a marked variation in demand coinciding with Moslem festivals. In some
areas household fattening of sheep for sale is an important economic activity.
5. THE PASTURE RESOURCE
With the current increase in crop area,

coupled with population growth, less land
is available for grazing. Forage forms the
main and cheapest feed for ruminants (Pamo
et al., 2006). In Cameroon, almost no
work has been done on range management
and development except on university farms
or research stations, so grazing livestock
depend on poor and degraded rangeland
(see Plates 5 and 6) that is often of very low
nutritional quality. All Cameroon livestock
are raised under extensive systems and forage
availability is a major problem. Plate 5, Dawara rangeland in the highland of the North
Since 1955 an inventory of local forage West Cameroon
species and introduction of exotic forages with
a view to study their adaptability, persistence,
harsh environment, resistance to disease,
and productivity have been carried out in
research stations and university experimental
farms. Pasture agronomists and ruminant
nutritionists have investigated pasture plants
that could be adapted to the various agro-
ecological zones. Suitable pasture plants
for some agro-ecological zones have been
identified (Pamo et al., 1998; Yonkeu et
al., 1986). Cameroon has many indigenous
grasses of good fodder quality including Plate 6, Cattle in the mountainous rangeland
Cynodon nlemfuensis, Andropogon Table 11. Major forage species of Cameroon

gayanus, Panicum maximum, Species Species
Panicum phragmitoides, Pennisetum Andropogon pinguipes Loudetia togoensis
purpureum, P. pedicellatum, Andropogon gayanus var gayanus. Mitracarpus villosus
Imperata cylindrica, Melinis Andropogon gayanus var bisquamulatus Oryza barthii
minutiflora, Melinis tenuissima, Andropogon gayanus var poly Oryza longistaminata
Setaria sphacelata, Hyparrhenia Andropogon pseudapricus Panicum afzelii
rufa, Echinochloa spp., Chloris Brachiaria jubata Panicum maximum
pilosa, Loudetia spp., Oryza spp., Brachiaria stigmatisata Paspalum scrobiculatum
Setaria spp., Vetiveria spp. A number Chloris pilosa Pennisetum pedicellatum
of exotic grasses such as Cenchrus Echinochloa colona Pennisetum polystachion
ciliaris, Brachiaria ruziziensis, Echinochloa obtusiflora Phragmites karka
Brachiaria mutica, Tripsacum Echinochloa pyramidalis Rottboellia exaltata
laxum, Panicum maximum, Echinochloa stagnina Saccharum spontaneum
Brachiaria brizantha, Pennisetum
Eragrostis gangetica Sacciolepis micrococcus
purpureum and others have been
Eriosema glomeratum Sesbania pachycarpa
established successfully (Pamo et
Hyparrhenia barteri Setaria pumila
al., 1998; Pamo et al., 1997; Yonkeu
Hyparrhenia bracteata Setaria sphacelata
and Pamo , 1994). Tables 11 and 12
Hyparrhenia rufa Sorghastrum bipennatum
indicate some major indigenous and
Hyparrhenia subplumosa Tephrosia pedicellata
introduced forages while Tables 13
Ipomoea aquatica Urena lobata
and 14 indicate browse, leaves or
Jardinea congoensis Vetiveria fulvibarbis
fruit which are consumed by grazing
animals. Leersia hexandra Vetiveria nigritiana
Some legumes including Stylo- Loudetia simplex
santhes guianensis, Centrosema

pubescens, Pueraria phaseoloides, Calopogonium mucunoides and Pueraria phaseolodes have proved
valuable. A number of tree legumes and multipurpose trees such as Leucaena leucocephala, Calliandra
calothyrsus, Gliricidia sepium, Cajanus cajan, Leucaena trichandra, Leucaena diversifolia, Ficus
sycomorus, Acacia spp., Annona senegalensis, Vitex doniana, Balanites aegyptiaca, Dichrostachys
Table 12. Some introduced cultivars in Cameroon
Species Cultivars Species Cultivars
a) FABACEAE family
1 Cajanus cajan ILCA 11 700 56 Gliricidia sepium ILG 61
4 Cajanus cajan ILCA 11 575 59 Gliricidia sepium IL
5 Cajanus cajan ILCA 11 686 60 Gliricidia sepium HYB
6 Cajanus cajan ILCA 11 699 61 Gliricidia sepium ILCA 10 930
7 Cajanus cajan ILCA 11 700 62 Gliricidia sepium ILCA 14 501
8 Calopogonium muconoides CIAT 9901 63 Indigofera articulatum ILCA 7550
9 Calopogonium muconoides ILCA 6750 64 Indigofera spicata ILCA 7574
10 Canavalia ensiformis 65 Macroptilium atropurpureum ILCA 69
11 Canavalia ensiformis ILCA 9286 66 Macroptilium atropurpureum ILCA 69
12 Cassia rotundifolia WXNN 34 721 67 Macroptilium atropurpureum FAO 65 287
13 Centrosema acutifolium CIAT 5277 68 Macroptilium atropurpureum ILCA 6980
14 Centrosema arenarium CIAT 5236 69 Macroptilium lathyroides ILCA 6955
15 Centrosema brasilianum CIAT 5687 70 Macroptilium lathyroides ILCA 9275
16 Centrosema macrocarpum CIAT 5713 71 Macroptilium lathyroides ILCA 9215
17 Centrosema pascuorum 72 Macroptilium africanum CSIRO 24 972
18 Centrosema pascuorum 73 Macrotyloma axillare Archer ILCA 6756
19 Centrosema plumieri ILCA 14 613 74 Macuna pruriens
20 Centrosema pubescens Wakwa 75 Mucuna pruriens ILCA 15 169
21 Centrosema pubescens CIAT 438 76 Neonotonia wightii ILCA 6762
22 Centrosema pubescens ILCA 219 77 Neonotonia wightii FAO 63 393
23 Centrosema pubescens FAO 61 896 78 Neonotonia wightii ILCA 6762
Species Cultivars Species Cultivars

24 Centrosema pubescens CIAT 5126 79 Phaseolus acutifolius ILCA 7380
25 Centrosema rotundifolia CIAT 5283 80 Pueraria phaseoloides CIAT 9900
26 Centrosema schottii CIAT 76 010 81 Pueraria thunbergiana FAO 68 199
27 Centrosema schotti CIAT 55 705 82 Sesbania aculeata ILCA 10 865
28 Centrosema schotti ILCA 122 83 Sesbania sesban ILCA 9265
29 Centrosema sp. CIAT 77 057 84 Stylosanthes capitata CIAT 10 280
30 Clitoria ternatea ILCA 9291 85 Stylosanthes fruticosa FAO
31 Codariocalyx gyroides ILCA 12 455 86 Stylosanthes guianensis CIAT 184
32 Codariocalyx gyroides CIAT 3100 87 Stylosanthes guianensis FAO 46 004
33 Crotalaria sericea IITA 88 Stylosanthes guianensis FAO 46 482
34 Crotalaria zanzibarica ILCA 11 703 89 Stylosanthes guianensis FAO 46 491
35 Desmanthus virgatus ILCA 312 90 Stylosanthes guianensis Endeavour ILCA 2
36 Desmodium discolor ILCA 6988 91 Stylosanthes guianensis Oxley ILCA 1
37 Desmodium distortum Bambui 92 Stylosanthes guianensis FAO 46 500
38 Desmodium distortum ILCA 7263 93 Stylosanthes guianensis CIAT 10 146
39 Desmodium intortum Greenleaf ILCA 104 94 Stylosanthes guianensis Graham ILCA 73
40 Desmodium intortum FAO 65 285 95 Stylosanthes guianensis Cook ILCA 4
41 Desmodium strigillosum CIAT 13 158 96 Stylosanthes hamata Verano ILCA 75
42 Desmodium tortuosum Cte dIvoire 97 Stylosanthes hamata FAO 46 503
43 Desmodium uncinatum ILCA 6765 98 Stylosanthes hamata FAO 46 503
44 Desmodium uncinatum Silverleaf ILCA 6765 99 Stylosanthes hamata FAO 46 507
45 Dolichos lablab Jhansi ILCA 6529 100 Stylosanthes hamata Verano ILCA 75
46 Dolichos purpureus CIAT 6529 101 Stylosanthes hamata ILCA 75
47 Flemingia congesta ILG 56 102 Stylosanthes hamata CIAT 2570
48 Flemingia congesta ILG 58 103 Stylosanthes macrocephala CIAT 1281
49 Gliricidia sepium ILG 50 104 Stylosanthes pauciflora CIAT 10 136
50 Gliricidia sepium ILG 52 105 Stylosanthes scabra Zitzroy ILCA 441
51 Gliricidia sepium ILG 54 106 Stylosanthes scabra Seca ILCA 140
52 Gliricidia sepium ILG 55 107 Stylosanthes scabra FAO 46 507
53 Gliricidia sepium ILG 57 108 Stylosanthes sympodialis CIAT 1044
54 Gliricidia sepium ILG 59 109 Stylosanthes sympodialis CIAT 1044
55 Gliricidia sepium ILG 60
b) MIMOSACEAE family
1 Leucaena leucocephala Cunningham
2 Leucaena leucocephala ILCA 70
3 Leucaena leucocephala Cunningham
4 Leucaena leucocephala Peru ILCA 71
5 Leucaena leucocephala Hawan
6 Leucaena leucocephala ILCA 70
7 Leucaena leucocephala Hawan Giant K8
8 Prosopis juliflora
9 Samanea saman
c) POACEAE family
1 Andropogon gayanus 19 Panicum maximum B18
2 Brachiaria brizantha 20 Panicum maximum C28
3 Brachiaria decumbens 21 Panicum maximum D19
4 Brachiaria decumbens CIAT 606 22 Panicum maximum E10
5 Brachiaria ruziziensis 23 Panicum maximum G20
6 Chloris gayana 24 Panicum maximum H11
7 Panicum coloratum Bambatsi ILCA 7153 25 Panicum maximum I12
8 Panicum coloratum Bambatsi 26 Panicum maximum J24
9 Panicum maximum K187B 27 Panicum maximum K29
10 Panicum maximum Makueni 28 Panicum maximum L26
11 Panicum maximum C1 29 Panicum maximum M.2.12
12 Panicum maximum 2A5 30 Panicum maximum N27
13 Panicum maximum T58 31 Panicum maximum O25
14 Panicum maximum 2A4 32 Panicum maximum P28
15 Panicum maximum 2A6 33 Panicum maximum Q21
16 Panicum maximum 2A22 34 Panicum maximum R.2.10
17 Panicum maximum 1A50 35 Setaria sphacelata ILCA 65 284
18 Panicum maximum A29
cinerea, Grewia spp., Piliostigma spp. Table 13. Browse whose leaves are the parts most
and Ziziphus spp., provide foliage for consumed by livestock
livestock at all seasons. It will require Species
social and cultural changes amongst the Sheep Goats Cattle
major livestock owners if they are to
Acacia ataxacantha X X X
adopt the technologies that have been
Acacia gerrardii X X X
developed and to treat livestock produc-
Acacia nilotica XX XX X
tion as a commercial enterprise, not just
Acacia senegal X XX X
as a way of life.
XXX XXXXX XXX
In the Sahel savannah where the Adansonia digitata
Afzelia africana XXXXX XXXXX XXX
rainy season lasts between three and
Anogeissus leiocarpus XX XXX XX
four months the dominant grasses are
XXX XXX XXX
Andropogon gayanus, Hyparrhenia Bombax costatum
rufa, Setaria pallidifusca, Setaria com- Boscia senegalensis X X X
munis, Eragrostis robusta, Pennisetum Bridelia scleroneura - XX -
spp., Oryza barthii, Echinochloa spp., Butyrospermum paradoxum XXXX XXXX XX
Sporobolus pyramidalis, Pennisetum Calotropis procera XXX - -

pedicellatum, Heteropogon contortus, Cochlospermum planchoni - XXXX X
Aristida spp. and Panicum spp. The Cochlospermum tinctorium - XXX X
Sudan savannahh zone, which falls Combretum aculeatum XXXX XXXXX XX
within the tsetse fly zone, has high Combretum collinum - XX -
quality vegetation for rearing and breed- Commiphora africana XX XX -
ing of ruminants but this fly is a seri- Crossopteryx febrifuga XX XX X
ous problem; grasses include Imperata Daniellia oliveri XXX XXX XXX
cylindrica, Pennisetum spp., Panicum Detarium microcarpum XX XX XX
spp., Eragrostis spp., Andropogon gaya- Diospyros mespiliformis X X X
nus, Schizachyruim spp., Schoenefeldia Entada africana X XX X
gracilis, Eragrostis tremula, Aristida Feretia apodanthera XXX XXXX XXX
and Loudetia. Browse trees contribute Gardenia aqualla - XX X
to the fodder of the zone. Grewia tenax XX XX XX
The Guinea savannah has the follow- Guiera senegalensis X XXX X
ing grasses : Hyparrhenia spp., Andro- Khaya senegalensis XXX XXX XXX
pogon gayanus, Imperata cylindrica,
Kigelia africana XXX XXX XXX
Pennisetum pedicellatum, Digitaria spp.
Lonchocarpus laxiflorus XXXX XXXX XXX
Setaria sphacelata, Pennisetum pur-
Maerua crassifola XX XX XX
pureum, Andropogon tectorum, Panicum
Maytenus senegalensis - XXX X
maximum, Chloris spp., Paspalum and
Pericopsis laxiflora XXX XXX XXX
Melinis. The Southern part represents
Pterocarpus erinaceus XXXX XXXX XXXX
a transitional zone between forests (see
Sclerocarya birrea XX XX X
Plate 7) and the savannah zones. In gen-
eral, the Guinea savannah zone is char- Securidaca longepedunculata X X X
Securinega virosa X XXX -
acterized by tall grasses which replace
destroyed forest trees. Sterculia setigera XXX XXX X
The productivity, chemical Stereospermum kunthianum XXXX XXXX XXXX
composition and nutritive value of these Strychnos innocua X XXX X
forages vary greatly according to the Strychnos spinosa XX XX X
region, the nature and fertility of the Terminalia avicennoides XX XXX X

soil, seasons of the year, and the stage Terminalia laxiflora - X -
of growth at which the grass species are Vitex simplicifolia XXX XXX XXX
cut or grazed. During the wet season, X= level of consumption
forage biomass is higher in quality and
quantity early in the season. Natural grasses and legumes are rich and highly digestible. As the growing
season advances the protein level drops and the roughage quantity increases (Pamo et al., 2007).
There is an increase in lignin content and Table 14. Browse whose fruit and leaves are
voluntary intake decreases. Most grassland at consumed by grazing animals
this period become of poor quality, resulting Species
in weight loss and decreased milk yield if Sheep Goats Cattle
appropriate complement is not provided. The
Acacia albida XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX
severity and duration of low-quality feed is
Acacia polyacantha XXXX XXXX XX
common to all parts of the country due to the
Acacia sieberiana XXXX XXXX XXX
rapid growth of the tropical grass species.
Annona senegalensis XXX XXX X
In the far north, the prolonged dry season
Vitex doniana XX
and high temperatures accompanied by rapid
Balanites aegyptiaca XXXXX XXXXX XXX
deterioration in quality of most grassland
Dichrostachys cinerea XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX
seriously affect the productivity of animals
Ficus capensis XX XX X
(Pamo, 1993; Pamo and Pieper, 1993).
Seasonality has a major effect on ruminant Ficus sycomorus XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX
livestock production. The severity of the Grewia bicolor XXXX XXXX XXXX
dry season and duration of low-quality Grewia flavescens XX XX XX
feed increase from south to north. There Piliostigma reticulatum XXXX XXXX XXX
is widespread annual burning of grasslands Piliostigma thonningii XXXX XXXX XXXX

leading to drastic reduction of the amount of Prosopis africana XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX
forage on offer (Pamo, 1993). A combination Tamarindus indica XXX XXX X
of low-quality roughage and burning, which Ziziphus abyssinica XXX XXX X
reduce the available biomass, causes weight Ziziphus mauritiana XXXX XXXX X
losses (Lhoste, 1967; Zemmelink, 1974) and Ziziphus spina-christi X X X
poor fecundity (Voh et al., 1984). X= level of consumption
Rangeland
Rangelands are found in West, North west
(see Plate 5), East, Adamawa, North and
far North Provinces. All grazing animals
rely on natural grazing. Carrying capacity is
very low. Productivity of natural grassland
is affected by soil fertility, the amount of
browse species available, density of canopy
and mainly management strategies such as
grazing (Pamo et al., 2007). Pamo (1989a)
observed on average that nitrogen fertilization
consistently increased rangeland yield.
Plate 7. Herdsman with his cattle in the forest zone
Legumes are not common on rangeland, so
their contribution to animal feed is very low.
Most tropical grasses grow rapidly during the wet season, becoming fibrous and coarse and then are
undergrazed because of the drop in nutritive value. Their quality declines further during the dry season
and they become standing hay if fire does not transform them to ash.
During the period of rapid growth the nutrient content of natural grasses on average is about 25 to
35% dry matter; 10 to 15% crude protein; 6 to 8% ash with a fibre content of 30 to 40%. As the dry
season advances and conditions become severe, their nutritional quality declines to the extent that crude
protein could fall to as low as the minimum required for proper rumen function. Ash values also decline
to about 3 - 4% as a result of translocation to the root system, while fibre content increases in response
to the process of lignification (Smith, 1992). These grasses cannot meet the nutrient requirements
of grazing livestock for most of the year. Even during the rains they can only satisfy maintenance
requirements (Smith, 1992).
Besides savannah rangeland, the vegetation found along roadsides and on fallows is used by
nomads, or those droving animals to city markets, during the dry season. In the rainforest zone (see
Plate7) grasses available in the natural grassland include Panicum maximum, Cynodon nlemfuensis and
Pennisetum purpureum. The low protein contents of natural grassland is a constraint, however, legumes
such as Centrosema pubescens, Desmodium uncinatum and Desmodium intortum can be introduced to
improve diet quality. Dry matter yields of native pastures are relatively low. The humid zones have large
potential for development and are much more productive in terms of dry matter than drier areas but are
poorly developed because of lack of sound policy implementation.
The low nutritive value of natural forage is the major constraint to livestock productivity in the humid
(ILCA, 1979), subhumid and sahelian zones of West Africa. The crude protein (CP) content of forage
rarely exceeds 6% for more than six months of the year and some form of supplementation is necessary
if calving rates, milk yields and growth rates are to be raised (Milligan and Kaufmann, 1980).
Economic aspects of rangeland

In Cameroon rangeland is said to be common property under the management of the village chief.
However, it is neither controlled by officials representing the community nor by individual chiefs.
Users take what they need, when they need it, regardless of the effect their actions may have on the
maintenance of the rangeland (Pamo and Pamo, 1991). When the rangeland was in good condition
this posed no problems, as during the colonial and the early post-colonial period when herders and
their herds were too sparse to tax the available rangeland seriously. When grazing pressure outstripped
supply, individual demands became competitive. Now, as more and more rangeland is destroyed, herders
depending on the same resource find it increasingly difficult to meet their herds needs.
Because rangeland is viewed as common property villagers consider its preservation as a
common or official problem. An individual villagers effort to preserve or increase rangeland
production would be senseless; he might control noxious range plants, use good range management or
refrain from overgrazing, with no assurance that he will harvest the fruit of his efforts. Another herder
may graze the rangeland leaving him no return on his outlay. Every herdsmen grazes, no-one improves
the range and its use has become abuse. Grazing pressure has escalated to the point where rangeland may
be completely destroyed in the near future (see Plate 8).
Even if individuals attempt to develop cooperative rules to enforce a socially rational grazing system,
they cannot solve their problems because nobody has enough incentive to keep such an agreement.
Benefit from breaking rules is always greater than the cost. An enforceable rule must be imposed from
outside or through a traditionally powerful ruler.
It has been thought that institutional rules might be a solution to the problem. Private property rights
are consistent with this hypothesis because they could be imposed from outside as a new institution with
legislative acts of enclosure.
Since that new approach started from the presupposition that individuals pursue strategies independent
of the expected actions of others, the institutional arrangement was designed by considering the private
individual user. There was a logical assumption that an individual will graze and conserve his private
range in a way consistent with its productivity and thus his practice will become beneficial to him, and
through him to the society as a whole. Many economic consultants and planners unanimously agreed
on the imposition of private property rights directed towards the internalization of common property
externality to halt the tragedy of the open
access rangeland.
This approach failed to integrate the
small-scale herdsmen spread all over the
region. Land formerly used by everybody
in the village and the region was being
transferred to individuals, such as high and
powerful businessmen and high-ranking
bureaucrats, who influenced the allocation of
ownership rights. These individuals not only
often failed to protect range because of lack
of knowledge of range management, but also
had to face fierce opposition from traditional
herdsmen who had been using the ranges for Plate 8. Degraded rangeland
centuries but were ignored in the design and implementation of the scheme. Not only has the scheme
failed to stop overgrazing and rangeland deterioration, it has also contributed to inequality in the already
unequal distribution of wealth in most parts of North Cameroon. Often herders ignore the new grazing
rights system and continue to use the range as in the past.
A wealth of local knowledge has been ignored in the past; rarely has anyone seriously approached
a nomad and asked him how he appraises, uses and organizes his living in this environment and why
he does that. When some rare studies of daily life have been made among pastoral communities, the
comprehensiveness of the survival strategies that emerge is very impressive and, within their confined
region, it is rarely possible to make any radical improvement on the old ways. However, circumstances
have rendered old ways less and less adapted from the point of view of sustained and increased
production. Many others have seen in the tradition of the nomadic community a barrier to progress.
Tradition is presented as an unbending set of rules, passed from generation to generation, defining
,without exceptions, how to deal with the community and the environment. However, it seems that
traditions are followed, not because the present generation knows nothing else, but because long and
cruel experience has proven within the confines of the past technology that these were the best rules
to follow. Unfortunately, the rules have remained the same but conditions have changed, outpacing the
capacity of nomadic society to adjust.
Yet the appropriate solution for poor rangeland management and heavy grazing in Cameroons open
access rangeland remains the internalization of its costs by making the public aspects of the range,
private property of individuals or groups of individual resource users, who, via the invisible hand, will
hopefully manage the resource in the societys best interest (Pamo and Pamo, 1991). This procedure has
to be implemented properly. When attributing grazing rights, priority has to be given to local herdsmen
within or around the rangeland who, through centuries, have been using the area, to prevent problems
like those arising from the transfer of range to influential people (fences broken, no respect of the new
grazing rights, misuse and poor management of rangeland). Individuals, or groups of individuals on
a rangeland area should be free to contract with the rest of the society, to establish private rights over
particular pieces of land, or series of lands in the various range types and to have legal systems that
enforce these contracts. The cost of enforcement would be paid for by contracting parties themselves or
through a subsidy mechanism.
Native users of the area, regardless of their wealth, power or social status, should be considered first
in the right-contracting procedure. Since in general herders might not fully grasp the fundamentals of
range deterioration, government should provide some incentive or alleviation mechanism such as tax
relief, and intense extension efforts to help progressively internalise and bring private and social cost of
sound rangeland management into balance or by direct control of the major rangeland inputs. In addition,
although it is difficult to stimulate animal offtake because the more animals a man owns, the more
important he is considered, it is possible for the government to develop an incentive mechanism based
on pricing according to quality and a system of rewards for ranches or group of natural resource users
to encourage better systems of livestock production or range management within a sound opportunistic
management system.
This suggested approach is the product of foreseen economic forces and is practicable because of
its efficiency. The efficiency of private management within this adapted mobility system would result,
because the scarcity value of good rangeland has risen to the threshold at which it becomes efficient for
society to create such grazing rights. If this were not the case, there would be no positive value to society
in creating such a clearly defined property right in the different range types. Indeed, under freedom and
enforcement of contracts to establish such rights, not only can private property rights develop over a
series range type of pieces of land as the scarcity value of land increases, but also such rights will tend
to become more and more individualistic and highly valued. The system may progressively be adapted
and become an integrated part of the socio-economic system of the region. Hence, rangeland might be
more efficiently used, conserved and progressively improved for our use and/or the greater benefit of
future generations.
This approach may not succeed everywhere. In some regions optimum long-term forage production
requires that livestock of members be maintained at carrying capacity. Stock owners who wish to
maximize forage production and livestock in the long term must make their short-term stocking decision
consistent with long term maximization

criteria.
All these efforts aim to maximize current
income and secure an acceptable growth rate,
which will happen when the gross social
value of the benefits of rangeland production
exceeds the gross social cost.
Land tenure, especially in arid and semi-
arid environments, is critical. On a year to
year basis, a given rangeland may receive
highly variable rainfall. Herders maintain
their stocks at stable levels by moving them
between areas that have received relatively Plate 9. Zebu and Boran cattle on improved pasture at
higher rainfall levels. Livestock may be the end of the dry season
herded over extensive areas and follow
regular patterns. Opportunistic grazing strategies, which have been developed in this region, may
contribute to optimal utilization of available forage in areas where forage production varies significantly
in space and time. Open access, and to some extent common property tenures, permit herders to move
over wide areas in search of available forage. These aspects have to be taken into consideration in an
effort to internalize the cost of sound and sustained rangeland management within the framework of
opportunistic grazing systems.
Improved pastures
As part of the new strategy to improve animal husbandry, improved pastures produce more forage of
high nutritive value and lead to greater animal productivity than rangeland. Forage species investigated
in Cameroon are shown in Table 12. The use of highly productive, good quality pasture grasses and
legumes resulted in increased productivity in grazing animals on research stations and university
experimental farms (see Plate 9) in Cameroon (Pamo et al., 2001; Pamo et al., 2002; Pamo et al., 2004a
and b; Pamo et al., 2005a and b; Boukila et al., 2005; Pamo et al., 2006a, 2006b; Boukila et al., 2006).
Research on indigenous and exotic forages has been reported ( Pamo, 1989a and b; Pamo and Yonkeu,
1989; Pamo, 1990; Pamo, 1991; Pamo and Yonkeu, 1993; Pamo and Pieper, 1995; Pamo et al., 1997;
Pamo et al., 1998; Yonkeu et al., 1985; 1986). The productivity of some indigenous and exotic grasses
and legumes, as well as their seed production are reported in Tables 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19.
The use of forage legumes reduces feed deficiencies and improves the quality of available feed
during the dry season. The use of high-yielding legumes as a sole crop or in mixture with grasses
is a way of achieving year-round quality forage. Stylosanthes guianensis, Leucaena leucocephala or
Calliandra calothyrsus have emerged among the best forage legumes in various parts of the country.
However seed production remains a major constraint due to lack of appropriate structures. Pamo (1993)
reported some problems hindering forage seed production in Cameroon. Stylosanthes guianensis has
been recommended for sown pastures or fodder banks in Adamawa while Leucaena leucocephala or
Calliandra calothyrsus were recommended for fence lines to be used as forage during the dry season
(Taravali and Pamo, 1991; Pamo and Yonkeu, 1994).
Pamo et al. (2007) evaluated variation in the nutritive value of three grasses: Brachiaria ruziziensis,
Pennisetum purpureum and Tripsacum laxum, and leaves of two leguminous trees, Leucaena
leucocephala and Calliandra calothyrsus, through a calendar year. The crude protein (CP) level in the
tree leaves was higher than that in the grasses throughout the year while the reverse was true for NDFom
and ADFom. There was an increase in the CP level during the rainy season for all forages and this
increase was higher (P<0.01) in Brachiaria ruziziensis, Pennisetum purpureum, Leucaena leucocephala
and Calliandra calothyrsus (P<0.05) respectively relative to dry season samples. Lipid levels were
higher (P<0.05) in Brachiaria ruziziensis and Calliandra calothyrsus during the rainy season. Sulphuric
acid lignin (sa) was higher (P<0.01) in Brachiaria ruziziensis and Leucaena leucocephala during the
dry season. Brachiaria had the highest level of P irrespective of season. Seasonal variations in nutrient
levels in these foliages suggest that, throughout the year, leguminous tree leaves would be needed to
Table 15. Productivity of some indigenous and exotic grasses: sum of 28 days cutting during the
growing season in dry matter tonnes per ha
Species Dry matter (tonnes/ha) Means
Ecotypes Standard
or cultivars Years deviation
Orstom
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986
Indigenous species
Andropogon gayanus Wakwa 01.02 01.36 02.37 03.82 03.31 02.98 02.74 02.51 01.01
Andropogon gayanus Faro 02.45 02.11 03.54 03.70 01.08 03.46 02.81 02.74 0.94
Brachiaria brizantha 03.01 04.10 05.91 06.18 10.62 08.52 06.50 06.41 02.56
Hyparrhenia rufa 02.39 03.68 08.86 06.38 08.61 08.55 07.10 06.51 02.56
Melinis tenuissima 06.94 06.04 07.72 11.21 07.28 06.98 06.98 06.80 07.57 01.68
Exotic species
Pennisetum purpureum Kizozi 01.43 03.59 04.12 11.95 05.64 03.27 04.69 04.96 03.35
Tripsacum laxum 01.08 05.09 04.63 08.75 07.28 05.75 03.12 05.10 02.54
Brachiaria ruziziensis 05.95 06.11 14.43 11.37 11.47 06.64 07.93 09.13 03.30
Panicum maximum Bamenda 03.32 03.71 08.20 11.53 09.32 07.26 06.20 07.08 02.95
Panicum maximum Bambui 03.28 03.62 06.04 10.81 12.40 06.22 07.92 07.19 03.44
Panicum maximum Makueni 02.66 04.20 02.27 15.19 12.00 06.03 10.61 07.57 05.05
Panicum maximum Shika 02.74 03.71 07.88 11.13 07.96 05.06 07.07 06.51 02.88
Panicum maximum trichoglume 03.03 03.66 07.88 10.58 06.45 - - - -
Panicum maximum Colaniao 03.72 03.10 07.60 10.24 07.81 06.47 08.04 06.71 02.52
Panicum maximum Killo 05.05 04.58 08.59 12.30 11.99 07.54 08.12 08.31 03.02
Panicum maximum K 187 a 03.31 04.08 07.70 15.83 08.53 07.81 10.31 08.22 04.16
Panicum maximum K 187 b 02.32 03.77 07.53 12.14 09.86 06.28 07.64 07.08 03.37
Panicum maximum K 184 02.75 03.41 04.84 14.89 10.62 06.89 08.00 07.34 04.30
Panicum maximum K 160 03.20 03.40 07.51 14.38 09.31 - - - -
Panicum maximum G 23 a 04.38 04.08 09.82 13.86 11.07 06.38 11.22 08.69 03.76
Panicum maximum G 23 b 04.22 05.53 08.06 14.34 09.97 08.28 08.41 08.40 03.25
Panicum maximum G 17 03.47 04.73 11.51 11.06 09.74 06.22 11.39 08.30 03.41
Table 16. Productivity of some exotic species of legume: end of growing season in dry matter
tonnes per ha
DM (tonnes/ha)
Species FAO Standard
Years Means
cultivars deviation
1981 1982 1983
Centrosema sp. 46000 01.56 02.91 03.20 02.56 0.87
Centrosema sp. 46001 0.86 03.07 03.50 02.48 01.41
Stylosanthes guianensis 46004 04.62 04.28 06.26 05.05 01.06
Stylosanthes guianensis 46493 - 04.79 07.09 - -
Stylosanthes guianensis 46499 03.00 02.21 - - -
Stylosanthes guianensis 46500 - 05.80 04.91
Stylosanthes hamata 46007 02.03 01.62 01.24 01.63 0.39
Stylosanthes capitata 46009 a 01.08 0.90 01.18 01.06 0.14
Stylosanthes capitata 46009 b 01.30 01.10 03.21 01.87 01.16
Stylosanthes fruticosa 46477 03.10 3.62 03.38 03.37 0.26
Table 17. Productivity of some indigenous and exotic grasses: biomass at the end of the growing
season in dry matter tonnes per ha
DM (tonnes/ha)
Ecotypes Standard
Species or Orstom Years Means deviation
cultivars
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986
Indigenous species
Andropogon gayanus Wakwa 05.92 07.68 08.79 07.65 07.11 04.50 05.85 06.79 01.44
Andropogon gayanus Faro 07.63 05.05 13.20 12.99 10.50 04.34 05.80 08.50 03.73
Brachiariabrizantha 03.49 03.46 2.96 05.01 08.35 6.65 07.05 05.28 02.10
Hyparrhenia rufa 08.33 06.41 11.72 10.46 12.50 9.80 10.10 09.90 02.05
Melinis tenuissima 07.34 07.42 10.94 04.83 08.69 07.80 08.10 07.87 01.82
Exotic species
Pennisetum purpureum Kizozi 01.73 0.87 17.88 10.09 03.20 04.50 04.67 06.14 05.97
Tripsacum laxum 01.77 02.64 09.13 10.79 07.68 01.70 03.31 05.29 03.80
Brachiaria ruziziensis 03.56 04.04 2.64 3.83 5.64 02.32 03.50 03.65 01.08
Panicum maximum Bamenca 06.57 01.57 21.53 18.04 08.74 02.94 04.10 09.07 07.75
Panicum maximum Bambui 01.76 02.27 13.13 13.12 06.83 01.84 02.80 05.96 05.19
Panicum maximum Makueni 04.67 03.48 15.00 17.79 06.92 04.79 13.00 03.38 05.77
Panicum maximum Shika 07.54 4.60 12.96 15.84 6.61 04.27 08.05 08.55 04.31
Panicum maximum Trichoglume 01.67 - 07.42 10.18 - - - - -
Panicum maximum Coloniao 6.80 3.63 12.20 12.49 7.81 05.33 04.42 07.52 03.58
Panicum maximum Killo 02.56 - 08.37 05.51 05.47 1.60 05.52 - -
Panicum maximum K 160 02.52 0.92 07.29 06.06 09.74 - - - -
Panicum maximum K 89 B 05.01 03.11 10.78 14.33 10.41 04.29 1.80 07.10 04.71
Panicum maximum G 23 a 03.42 02.12 07.93 08.12 07.15 01.09 02.65 04.64 02.99
Panicum maximum G 23b 04.22 01.64 11.14 04.17 07.55 02.10 03.45 04.89 03.35
Panicum maximum G17 03.09 01.38 05.22 10.07 2.79 04.51 02.38 04.21 02.89
Table 18. Productivity of some exotic species of legume: end of drying season biomass in dry
matter tonnes per ha
DM (tonnes/ha)
FAO Standard
Species Years Means
cultivars deviation
1981 1982 1983
Centrosema sp 46000 01.70 01.93 02.10 01.91 0.20
Centrosema sp 46001 01.10 01.40 01.95 01.95 0.43
Stylosanthes guianensis 46499 06.49 - - - -
Stylosanthes guianensis 46500 - - - - -
Stylosanthes hamata 46007 02.43 02.56 01.23 02.07 0.73
Stylosanthes capitata 46009 a 02.55 02.41 01.27 02.07 0.70
Stylosanthes capitata 46009 b 02.64 02.56 0.65 01.95 01.12
Stylosanthes fructicosa 46477 01.90 01.42 01.80 01.71 0.25
supplement diets of ruminants whose main Table 19. Seed production of some introduced forage
feed comes from natural pasture. legumes in kilogram per ha (January, 1981)
Boukila et al. (2006b) reported the Species Cultivars Production
FAO in kg/ha
result of in vitro digestibility of Leucaena
Centrosema sp 46000 -
leucocephala and Calliandra calothyrsus
Centrosema sp 46001 04.20
evaluated in combination with Brachiaria
Stylosanthes guianensis 46004 394.0
ruziziensis, Tripsacum laxum and Penni-
Stylosanthes guianensis 46481 -
setum purpureum as sources of energy. The
legume was mixed with grasses in 30%/70%
(150 mg of legumes and 350 mg of grasses),
analysed and incubated. The study revealed
that during the dry season there was no
significant difference (p>0.01) between the Stylosanthes guianensis 46493 107.1
gas and volatile fatty acid (VFA) produced Stylosanthes guianensis 46497 -
from incubation of L. leucocephala (27.15 Stylosanthes guianensis 46498 52.4
ml/200 mg DM) and (0.58 mmol/40 ml), Stylosanthes guianensis 46499 98.6
and C. calothyrsus (27.77 ml/200 mg DM) Stylosanthes guianensis 46500 148.0

and (0.60 mmol/40 ml). In the presence of B. Stylosanthes guianensis 46502 -
ruziziensis, P. purpureum and T. laxum, the gas Stylosanthes hamata 46007 21.40
produced from incubation of L. leucocephala Stylosanthes capitata 46009 a 80.0
varied from 43.21 to 49.19 ml/200 mg DM Stylosanthes capitata 46009 b -
and VFA from 0.89 to 0.96mmol/40ml viz Stylosanthes fructicosa 46477 -
41.01 to 43.68 ml/200 mg DM for gas and
0.91 to 0.98 mmol/40 ml of SCFA from incubation of C. calothyrsus. There was no significant difference
(p>0.01) between metabolizable energy (ME) derived from degradation of L. leucocephala (7.30MJ/kg
DM) and C. calothyrsus (7.10MJ/kg DM) incubated alone and ME derived in the presence of energy
source from grass (8.76 to 8.99 MJ/kg DM). There was no significant difference (p>0. 05) between
microbial mass (MM) produced from the degradation of L. leucocephala (148.97mg) and C. calothyrsus
(127.65mg) incubated alone and MM produced in the presence of grasses (123.70 to 172.23mg). The
organic matter digestibility (OMD) of L. leucocephala (50.70%) was significantly (p<0.01) higher than
that of C. calothyrsus (48.89%). Energy significantly (p<0.01) improved the fermentation activity of
micro-organisms and the in vitro digestibility of L. leucocephala and C. calothyrsus.
6. OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF FODDER RESOURCES
Livestock producers in Cameroon do not use forage legumes although their inclusion in pasture offers
considerable benefits because of their ability to fix nitrogen biologically.
Over the years legumes have received a lot of research attention in the Wakwa and Bambui
research stations. Early seedling growth is slow but, once established, legumes compete favourably
with associated grasses and weeds. The addition of phosphorus fertilizer to the soil results in marked
increases in legume growth and seed production. Legumes are generally established as pure stands and
their dry matter production depends to a large extent on the system of management applied.
Grazing trials have been carried out at Wakwa and Bambui using legumes as supplementary dry
season feed. All have demonstrated the benefits of legumes to the growth of livestock (Pamo et al.,
2006a, b). Pamo et al. (2006) obtained an increased liveweight gain of West African Dwarf goats of 28%
with a mixture of Leucaena leucocephala and Calliandra calothyrsus over that of the control animals.
Fodder legumes
During the dry season livestock feed supply is usually at its lowest especially in the north and far north
Cameroon. At this period animals feed exclusively on dry rangeland if fire has not reduced standing
hay to ash and crop residues that are low in nutritive value. During the dry season leguminous crop
residues such as groundnut haulms and cowpeas are relatively nutritious. However, crop residues such
as sorghum, millet, rice and maize are low in quality and, though used throughout the zones, they do
not meet the nutritional requirements of animals. Fodder legumes that have been used and show some
value for conservation are Stylosanthes sp., Stizolobium deeringianum and Lablab purpureus; when used
properly with improved management of native pasture they assist to reduce the heavy liveweight losses
that are common in the dry season.
The production of quality fodder may lead to the introduction of more productive crossbred animals
into pastoral herds. That is the major objective of Heifer Project International in northwest Cameroon.
This NGO for several decades has been working on the introduction of crossbred dairy animals into the
rural areas through the the establishment of quality fodder pasture. Farmers can also benefit from using
their fallow land for forage production. This is probably the key issue in promoting integrated crop/
livestock systems where the livestock and land are owned by different people.
Multipurpose trees
Forage shrubs form an integral part of ruminant production; feeding browse has become an essential
practice especially in the dry season when herbaceous forages are scarce (Bamikole et al., 2004) and
low in nutritive value (Aregheore, 2001; Pamo et al., 2007). Browse are important in the maintenance
and survival of ruminants. Their relative importance in ruminant nutrition especially during the dry
season cannot be overemphasized. Large numbers of browse trees have been tried experimentally and
subsequently introduced to ruminant farmers (Pamo et al., 2002; Pamo et al., 2003a).
Browse are shrubs and trees that are of considerable nutritional importance as livestock feed during
the dry seasons of the year. Their leaves are green all year round and many are well known to herdsmen
who frequently cut down their branches for stock feeding. Most nomads and smallholders know
them and therefore use them for their livestock (Table 13). The fruits of some form an important feed
resource during the dry seasons (Table 14). Many browses contain high levels of essential elements
such as calcium, sodium and sulphur as well as critical micronutrients such as iron and zinc, which
have been shown to be deficient or borderline for productive purposes in many grass species (Olubajo,
1974). In long-term studies that were designed to evaluate the effects of browse supplementation on
the productivity of sheep (Reynolds and Adediran, 1987) and goats (Reynolds, 1989), pregnant ewes
and does maintained on a basal diet of Panicum maximum were supplemented with graded levels of
a 1:1 (w/w) mixture of Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala over two reproductive cycles.
Supplementation with browse increased growth rate to weaning of both kids and lambs by 45%. Direct
supplementation to kids and lambs doubled growth rate from birth to six months in both species. Also
browse supplementation increased overall daily dry matter intake by the dams during the final two
months of pregnancy and four months of lactation (Smith, 1992). In the study of the effect of Calliandra
calothyrsus and Leucaena leucocephala supplementary feeding multipurpose leguminous tree (MPLT)
on goat production in Cameroon mixed in equal quantity by weight and distributed at the rate of 800 g
per goat per day, Pamo et al. (2006b) found that supplementation reduced the incidence of abortion and
increased the overall yield of kid per animal. During the three months postpartum period the body weight
decreased as compared to that recorded at parturition but the supplemented goats continued to have 11
to 15% more body weight than their respective control during the dry season whereas during the rainy
season the difference between supplemented and non-supplemented goats were not so elaborated. This
indicates the effect of the scope and importance of supplementation for the animals particularly during
the dry season.
Pamo et al. (2006a) evaluated the influence of supplementary feeding of leguminous leaves on the
reproductive performance, milk production and kid growth of West African Dwarf goats (WADG).
During the dry and rainy season the leaves of Calliandra calothyrsus and Leucaena leucocephala had a
higher protein content than grasses while the grasses were richer in cellulose. The average birth weight
of the kids of the supplemented group (1.35 0.08 kg) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than of the
control group (1.12 0.10 kg) during the dry season but the difference was not significant during the
rainy season. At weaning age, average kid weight in the supplemented group was significantly (P<0.05)
higher than that in the control group during both the dry (5.95 0.45 Vs 3.56 0.45 kg) and rainy
(6.22 0.33 vs 4.64 0.19 kg) seasons. Kids from goats receiving supplements gained 67.1% more
weight during the dry season whereas only 34.1% more weight was gained during the rainy season in
comparison to the control group. Average weekly milk production of goats receiving supplements was
almost double that produced by the control group in dry season (361 11 g vs. 183 43 g) and about
32% more milk was produced during the rainy season. There was a positive correlation between weight
gain and milk production which was highest in the group receiving supplements during the dry season
(r2 = 0.96). The reproductive performance, milk production and kid growth of the WADG will be greatly
improved when the feed from natural pasture is supplemented with leaves of Calliandra calothyrsus and
Leucaena leucocephala.
Supplementation of crop residues and agro-industrial by-products with forage

Maize residues are low in nitrogen and their nutritive value can be improved by feeding them along with
nitrogen-rich legume supplements. The beneficial effects of feeding these leguminous forages include
increased metabolizable energy and nitrogen intake, improved palatability, increased available minerals
and vitamins and better rumen function.
Boukila et al. (2006a) reported the effect of urea molasses multinutrient blocks (UMMB) made of
different agro-industrial by-products and mineral blocks (MB) on growth and body condition score
(BCS) of Djallonk sheep. Supplement intake and weight gains were evaluated fortnightly. Consumption
of UMMB (289.21g) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of MB (101.9g) during the entire trial.
Animals that received UMMB had higher average daily weight gains (41.90g/day) and BCS (2.600.36)
compared to those that received MB (25.23g/day and 1.770.05) and the control group (20.23g/day and
2.390.43) respectively. An economic analysis revealed a cost-benefit ratio of 1:1.4 in terms of weight
gain alone while this body weight improvement might have also helped in better breeding performance
of the supplemented sheep.
The nutritive value and in vitro digestibility of maize stover associated with tropical legumes tree
leaves (Calliandra calothyrsus, Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala, Leucaena trichandra
and Leucaena diversifolia) was evaluated in the laboratory by Boukila et al. (2005). The results of
this study revealed that the crude protein of maize stover was 4.63% and varies from 10.3 to 13.7%
when mixed with legumes in the proportion of 70% maize stover and 30% legume. The maize stover
produced 43.5 ml/200 mg DM of gas and in association with legumes it varies between 42.88 and
47.1ml/200mg DM. It was also noticed a highest and variable short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production
(0.96 1.06mmol/40ml) when maize stover were associated with legumes. Metabolizable energy of
maize stover associated with G. sepium and L. leucocephala was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that
of maize stover incubated alone and that of other associations. The organic matter digestibility (OMD)
of maize stover was statistically (p<0.05) less than maize stover associated with legumes. The microbial
mass produced from degradation of maize stover was significantly (p<0.05) lower than those produced
from the association with C. calothyrsus and L. leucocephala, and there were no significant (p>0.05)
differences compared with those produced from other combinations. In general, legumes improved the
production of gas, of SCFA, of ME and OMD of maize stover. However, the association of maize stover
with G. sepium and L. leucocephala seems to be the better combination.
Recommendation
Research has been carried out over the years in Cameroon on ways to improve rangelands. To date
it has not yieldedmeaningful results because of poor implementation of the findings. Yet sustainable
development of this sector can only be based on sound and adapted long-term research. Future research
on improved pasture should focus on soil conservation and management through the use of legumes. A
survey of indigenous legumes to identify those that are more suitable for particular agro-ecological
zones, methods of establishment, fertilizer use and seed production that involves field establishment,
management practices, harvesting methods and storage quality determination is required. The present
poor system of livestock production of the majority of herd owners should not be a deterrent to exploring
possibilities. The need to increase farmers awareness of the benefits of legume-based technology
through increased participatory activities and adequate training of extension officers in integrated part
forage-legume production systems should be emphasized.
Government policies and programmes to assist livestock farmers and those engaged in livestock
enterprise need to take into consideration:
- A revised and adapted land tenure that makes it easier for those who really need land for livestock
to obtain it and can invest on it for a long-term return under some form of private system regime.
- The necessity to have sufficient animal science specialists, range managers and technical staff to
foster rapid improvement in ruminant livestock production.
- The need to determine carrying capacity of various ecological zones and regulatory control of herd
size and distribution to achieve ecological balance and avoid overgrazing.
- The need for appropriate incentives to producers in the form of marketing, credit facilities, techni-
cal supervision and subsidized inputs.
Government assistance through research and training of specialists in the areas of range management,
pasture agronomy and animal science would be of significant importance to ensure future economic
growth and development of the ruminant livestock sector to enable Cameroon to meet the challenges of
the future.
7. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND

PERSONNEL
Universities
Animal Production Department, University of Dschang, Cameroon
Agronomy Department, University of Dschang, Cameroon
Department of Botany, University of Dschang, Cameroon
Department of Biology and Plant Physiology, University of Yaound I, Cameroon
Department of Animal and Plant Science, University of Bua, Cameroon.
Department of Biology and Plant Science, University of Ngaoundr, Cameroon
Department of Animal Biology, University of Dschang
Ministry: Ministry of Livestock Fishery and Animal Industries, Yaound, Cameroon
Institutes -
Institute for Agronomic Research and Development, Yaound, Cameroon
Contacts for information on pasture and fodder production and management
Name Main field of interest Institution E-mail address
Pamo, E.T. Range and Pasture Department of Animal Production, pamo_te@yahoo.fr /

Sciences/ Ruminant University of Dschang, Cameroon pamo-te@excite.com
Nutrition
Onana, J. Pasture Management Institute for Agronomic Research and

Development, Yaound, Cameroon
Sipowo, T. Pasture Management Ministry of Livestock Fishery and

Animal Industry, Yaound, Cameroon.
8. REFERENCES
Aregheore , E.M. 2001. The effect of supplementation of crop residues based diets on the performance of
steers grazedon natural pasture during the dry season. Africa Journal of Range and Forage Science, 18:
2529.
Atekwana, J. A. and Maximuangu, J. C. 1981. The performance of imported dairy cattle breeds in Cameroon.
Paper presented at sixth meeting of the African Scientific Council, Libreville Gabon. pp365374.
Baker, P.R. 1978. Nomadism in Africa. In: An introduction to animal husbandry in the Tropics by G.
Williamson and W.J.A. Payne. 3 rd Edition. Longman. London and New York.
Bamikole, M. A., Ikhatua, U. J., Arigbede, O.M., Babayemi, O.J. and Etela, I. 2004. An evaluation of the
acceptability as forage of some nutritive and antinutritive components and of the dry matter degradation
profiles of Ficus. Tropical Animal Health and Production. 36: 157167.
Bayemi, P. H. 1991. Seasonal dynamics of tick (Ixodoidea) infestation in commercially reared cattle in
Yaound region, Cameroon. Revue dElevage et de Mdecine Vtrinaire des Pays Tropicaux,Volume 44,
Numro 3, pp309318.
Bayemi P.H., Bryant M.J., Perera B.M.A.O., Mbanya J.N., Cavestany D. and Web E.C., 2005a. Milk
production in Cameroon : A review. Livestock Research for Rural Development 17 (6). Art.#60. Retrieved
August 22, from http: www.cipav.org.co/1rrd17/6/baye 17060.htm
Boukila B., Pamo T. E., Fonteh F. A., Kana J. R., Tendonkeng F. and Betfiang M. E. 2005. Effet de la
supplmentation de quelques lgumineuses tropicales sur la valeur alimentaire et la digestibilit in-vitro
des chaumes de mas. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume 17, Article #146. Retrieved 9
December 2005, from http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd17/12/bouk17146.htm
Boukila B., Pamo T.E., Fonteh F. A., Kana J. R., Tendonkeng F. and Betfiang M. E. 2006b. Dgradation
in vitro de Leucaena leucocephala ou Calliandra calothyrsus associ au Brachiaria ruziziensis, Trypsacum
laxum et au Pennisetum purpureum comme sources dnergie. Cameroon Journal of Experimental Biology,
02 (01): 18.
Boukila B., Pamo T.E., Fonteh F.A., Doumbia F., Tendonkeng F., Kana J. R., Mboko A.V. and Mbenga
L.N. 2006a. Formulating Multinutrient feed blocks towards improving production and reproduction of
Djallonk sheep. Bulletin of Animal Health and Production, 54: 15215.
Bronsvoort B. M. de C, Nfon C., Saidou H., Tanya V., Kitching R. P. and Morgan K. L. 2002. Herd level
risk factors for foot and mouth disease in the Adamawa Province of Cameroon. Edition Menzies F D, Reid
S W J Dept Veterinary Clinical Sciences and Animal Husbandry, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Neston,
Wirral, CH64 7TE, UK pp 212220.
Chollet J. Y., Martrenchar A., Bouchel D. and Njoya A. 1994. Epidemiology of gastro-intestinal parasitoses
of young cattle in Northern Cameroon. Revue dElevage et de Mdecine Vtrinaire des Pays Tropicaux,
Volume 47, Numro 4, pp.365374.
de Leeuw P. N., Dermott M. C. and Lebbie S. H. B. 1995. Monitoring of livestock health and production in
sub-saharan Africa Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 25: 195212.
Douffissa, A. 1993. Cattle production in the Mbere ( Cameroon , Adamaoua) Collection tudes et thses.
Editions de lORSTOM, Paris , France 281pp
Ekue N., Tanya V. N. and Ndi C. 1990. Foot-and-mouth disease in Cameroon Tropical Animal Health and
Production, Volume 22, Number 1, pp3436
Etoundi S.F., 2003. Caractristiques socio-conomique et techniques des exploitations dembouche bovine
dans la zone pri-urbaine du Nord Cameroon. Mmoire dIngnieur Agronome, Universit de Dschang, 54p.
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). 1983. Intergrated crops and livestock in
west Africa. Animal Production and Health Paper 41. FAO, Rome, Italy.
FAO, 1970-1999. Production Yearbooks
FAO, 1970-1999. Yearbooks of Trade
FAO, 2000. Production yearbook
FAO, 2006. Back yard farming in the tropics. http//:www.fao.org
Fotsing J-M., 2004. Apport des SIG la recherche. Actes du colloque Gomatique et application de mars
2003. Universit dOrlans, IRD. PUO, 274 pages.
Galvin, K. 1985. Food procurement, Diet, Activities and Nutrition of Ngison Yoko, Turkana Pastoralists in an
Ecological and Social context. PhD thesis Department of Anthropology SUNY, Binghampton, New York
Horowitz , N.M. 1979. The sociology of pastoralism and African livestock project. U.S. Agency for
international development (Program Evaluation series. Discussion paper N 6). Washington.
HPI (Heifer Project International). 1999. Evaluation of the dairy program of Heifer Project International
(HPI) in Cameroon ; Report Bamenda Cameroon
IEMVT, 1975. Growth and milk production of local and imported breeds , Bambui, Cameroon. France, Institut
dElevage et de Mdecine Vtrinaire des Pays Tropicaux: Report of activities. Rapport dactivit Anne
1975 pp7980
ILCA (International Livestock Centre for Africa). 1979. Livestock Production in the sub-humid Zone of
West Africa: A regional review. ILCA Systems study no 2. Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. International Livestock
Centre for Africa.
ILCA 1993. Market oriented small holder dairying ILCA (International Livestock Centre for Africa) newsletter,
Volume 12, Number 1, pp1-3
ILRI 1998. Livestock, people and environment, ILRI (International livestock research institute), Kenya
Imele H., Kamga P. B. and Kamga P. 1999. Etude sur le lait des vaches White Fulani au Cameroun. Bulletin
of Animal Health and Production in Africa, Volume 47, Number 4, pp151153
IRZ ( Institute of Animal Research) 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985. Annual Reports. Yaound, Cameroon
Kameni A., Imele H. and Mbanya N. J. 2002. An alternative heat treatment for milk pasteurization in
Cameroon. International Journal of Dairy Technology, Volume 55 (1), 4043
Kameni A., Imele H., Formunyam R. and Djoko D. 1998. Evaluation of goat milk produced in the highlands
of Cameroon for cheese making. Revue dElevage et de Mdecine Vtrinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Volume
51, Numro 3, pp259263
Kameni A., Mbanya J. N. and Robinson R. K. 1994. Bafut: a Cameroon cheese. Dairy Industries
International, Volume 59, Number 6, p2729
Kameni A., Mbanya N. J., Nfi A., Vabi M., Yonkeu S., Pingpoh D. and Moussa C. 1999. Some aspects of
the peri-urban dairy system in Cameroon. International Journal of Dairy Technology, Volume 52, Number
2, pp 6367.
Kamga P., Imele H. and Mendi S. 1999. Effect of temperature and maturation time of cream on the quality
and yield of butter. Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa, Volume 47, Number 4, pp167172
Kamga P., Mbanya J. N., Awah N. R., Mbohou Y., Manjeli Y., Nguemdjom A., Pamela B. K., Njwe R.
M., Bayemi P. H., Ndi C., Imele H. and Kameni A. 2001. Effect of the calving season and zootechnical
parametres on milk yield in the western highlands of Cameroon. Revue dElevage et de Mdecine Vtrinaire
des Pays Tropicaux, Volume 54, Numro 1, pp5561
Lhoste, Ph. 1967. Comportement saisonnier du btail zbu en Adamaoua camerounais. I. Etude des femelles
adultes : comparaison de la race locale aux mtis demi-sang Brahma. Revue dElevage et de Mdecine
Vtrinaire des Pays Tropicaux. 20 : 329342.
Martrenchar A. and Njanpop B. M. 1994. First observation of an outbreak of haemorrhagic septicaemia due
to Pasteurella multocida serotype B6 in Northern Cameroon. Revue dElevage et de Mdecine Vtrinaire
des Pays Tropicaux, Volume 47, Numro 1, p1920
Martrenchar A., Bouchel D., Njanpop B. M. and Yaya A. 1995. Use of strain B19 in the prevention of
bovine brucellosis in Northern Cameroon. Effect of dose on rate and duration of seroconversion in zebu
females. Revue dElevage et de Mdecine Vtrinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Volume 48, Numro 1, pp3740
Maule J. P. 1990. The cattle of the tropics. Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine. University of Edinburgh
Redwood Press Limited, Melksham, Wilts Pp 101.
Mbah, D. A. 1982a. Mortality due to rickettsia, trypanosomiasis piroplansmosis and streptothricosis among
six genetic groups of cattle at Wakwa. Science and Technology Review 2: 8188.
Mbah D. A. 1982b. Adaptation of dairy cattle to Wakwa (Adamaoua) environment. I. Resistance to cattle ticks.
Science and Technology Review, Agronomic and Animal Sciences Series 2: 101106.
Mbah D. A. 1984. Adaptation of dairy cattle to Wakwa (Adamaoua) environment. II. Susceptibility to heat
stresss. Science and Technology Review, Agronomic and Animal Sciences Series 1: 125132.
Mbah D. A., Mbanya J. and Messine O. 1987. Performance of Holsteins, Jerseys and their zebu crosses in
Cameroon : preliminary results. Science and Technology Review, gronomic, and Animal Sciences Series 3:
1151126.
Mbah D. A., Tawah L. C. and Messine O. 1991. Performance of dairy cattle in Adamawa Cameroon. Cattle
Research Network Newsletter, Number 3, pp1012.
Mbanya J., Vabi M., Nfi A., Yonkeu S., Kameni A., Pingpoh D. and Moussa C. 1995. Report of survey on
periurban dairy production in Garoua and Maroua IRZV (Institut de Recherche Zootechnique et Vtrinaire)
Yaound Cameroon, December 1995.
McIntyre, J., D. Bourzat and Pingali, P. 1992. Crop livestock interaction in sub -Saharan Africa; regional
and sectorial studies series. The World Bank, Washington, DC.
Merlin P. 1987. Efficacy of chlorfenvinphos in the control of ticks on cattle in North-West Cameroon. Revue
dElevage et de Mdecine Vtrinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Volume 40, Numro 1, pp7781.
Merlin P., Tsangueu P. and Rousvoal D. 1986. Seasonal dynamics of the infestation of cattle by ticks
(Ixodoidea) in the high plateaus of western Cameroon. I. A one year study of three sites around Bamenda.
Revue dElevage et de Mdecine Vtrinaire des Pays Tropicaux,Volume 39, Numro 34, pp367376.
Merlin P., Tsangueu P. and Rousvoal D. 1987. Seasonal dynamics of the infestation of cattle by ticks
(Ixodoidea) on the Western high plateaus of Cameroon. II. Traditional extensive stockfarms. Revue
dElevage et de Mdecine Vtrinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Volume 40, Numro 2, pp133140
Milligan, K. and Kaufmann, R. Von; 1980. Nutritional balance of the average bunaji cow; Internal mimeo.
Kaduna, ILCA.
MINEF (Ministre de lEnvironnement et des Forts), 1996. Plan National de Gestion de lEnvironnement.
Rapport principal, Vol I. MINEF/PNUD/Banque Mondial. 225p.
MINEPIA, 2002. La stratgie sectorielle de llevage, des pches et des industries animales. Ministre de
lElevage, des Pches et des Industries Animales. Cameroun. 93p.
MINPAT 1986. Sixth Five Year Development Plan, Republic of Cameroon, Yaound
Ndi C., Bayemi P. H., Ekue F. N. and Tarounga B. 1991. Preliminary observations on ticks and tick-borne
diseases in the North West Province of Cameroon. I. Babesiosis and anaplasmosis. Revue dElevage et de
Mdecine Vtrinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Volume 44, Numro 3, pp263265
Ndi C., Bayemi P. H., Nfi A. N. and Ekue F. N. 1998. Preliminary observations on ticks and tickborne
diseases in the North West province of Cameroon. II. Bovine heartwater. Revue dElevage et de Mdecine
Vtrinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Volume 51, Numro 1, pp2528.
Nfi A. N., Mbanya J. N., Ndi C., Kameni A., Vabi M., Pingpoh D., Yonkeu S. and Moussa C. 2001.
Ethnoveterinary medicine in the Northern provinces of Cameroon. Veterinary Research Communications,
Volume 25, Number 1, pp7176.
Niamir, M. 1990. Community forestery. Herders decision-making in natural resources management in arid
and semi-arid Africa. FAO. Rome.
Njoya A., Mbanya N. J., Nguemdjom A., Kamga P., Ndi C., Kameni A. and Nfi A. 1999. Cattle productivity
on smallholder farms in the western highlands of Cameroon. In Development of feed supplementation
strategies for improving the productivity of dairy cattle on small holder farms in Africa. Proceedings of
Research Coordination of a Coordinated Research Project organized by the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of
Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture held in Vienna, Austria , 711 September.1998.
Njoya A. Bouchel D., Ngo Tuma, 1997. Systmes Dlevage et productivit des bovins en milieu paysan.
ASNC: vers un dveloppement solidaire des savanes dAfrique Central. Montpelier, France, CIRAD-C -528p
Njwe R. M. 1984. Provision of adequate animal protein to the Cameroon population by the year 2000AD:
Problems and prospects Cameroon, Dschang University Centre, Cameroon.
Olubajo, F.O. 1974. Pasture Research at the university of Ibadab. In: Loosli, J.K., Oyenuga, V.A. and
Babatunde, G.M. eds. Animal Production in the tropics; Proceeedinngs of the International Symposium on
Animal production in the Tropics, held at theUniversity of Ibadan. Ibadan, Nigeria 2629 March 1973. pp;
6778.
Pamo, T. E. 1989a.Rangeland response to low levels of nitrogen fertilization and cutting intensities on the
Adamawa Plateau. Cameroon. Rev. Elev Med Pays Trop 42(4):591-598.
Pamo, T. E. 1989b. Comparaison de la reprise et de la multiplication de Tripsacum laxum Nash partir
des boutures et des clats de souche dans le bas-fond du Mayo Ndeng, ranch SODEPA-Faro, Adamaoua
Cameroun. Cam. J. Bioch. Sc., 2(2): 144155.
Pamo, T. E. 1990. Etude compare de la reprise et de la mutiplication de Pennisetrum purpureum schumach cv
Kizozi partir des boutures et des clats de souche dans le bas fond du Mayo Ndeng Cameroun. Rev. Elev.
Med. Vet. Pays. Trop. 43 (4) : 543547.
Pamo, T. E. 1991. Rponse de Brachiaria ruziziensis la fertilisation azote et diffrents rythmes

dexploitation en Adamaoua. Rev. Elev. Med. Pays. Trop. 44 (3) 373380
Pamo Tedonkeng Etienne 1993. Some problems hindering forage seed production in Cameroon. XVII
International Grassland Congress New Zealand 17571758. New Zealand.
Pamo Tedonkeng, E. and Pamo Tedonkeng C. 1991. An evaluation of the problems of open range use
system in Northern Cameroon. Tropicultura. 9 (3): 125128.
Pamo Tedonkeng E. and Pieper R.D. 1993. Livestock production systems in the Cameroon Sahelo-
soudanian region. XVII International Grassland Congress New Zealand 809-810. New Zealand.
Pamo Tedonkeng Etienne and R.D. Pieper. 1995. Effect of fertilization and cutting frequency on the yield
of Brachiaria ruziziensis Germain and Evrard in Adamaoua Plateau, Cameroon. Tropicultura. 13 (1):
914.
Pamo E.T. and Yonkeu S. 1986. A study of trends in some climatic parameters of the pastoral
environment in Wakwa, Adamawa, Cameroon Revue Science et Technique, Series Sciences
Zootechniques 2: 1934.
Pamo, T.E. and Yonkeu, S. 1989. Rponse du pturage naturel de faibles doses dazote et a diffrentes
frquences de coupe en Adamaoua Camerounais. Cam. J. Bioch. Sc. Vol. n 2: 132143.
Pamo Tedonkeng E. and S. Yonkeu. 1993. Effect of Nitrogen fertilizer in Combinaison with potassium
and phosphorus on rangeland yield in Adamawa Cameroon. XVII International Grassland Congress New
Zealand 5556.
Pamo Tedonkeng E. and Yonkeu S. 1994. Arrire effet de Stylosanthes guianensis sur la production et la
valeur bromatologique de Brachiaria ruziziensis en Adamawa Cameroun. Rev. Elev. Med. Vet. Pays Trop.
N o 1 1994. France.
Pamo T.E., B. Boukila, and F. Tendonkeng. 2007. Goat production in Africa: a sign post review for research
in the new millennium. International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences. 1(1): 7689.
Pamo T.E., T.B.A.Kennang and M.V. Kangmo. 2001. Etude compare des performances pondrales des
chvres naines de Guine supplmentes au Leucaena leucocephala auGliricidia sepium ou au tourteau de
coton dans lOuest Cameroun. Tropicultura, 2001;19 (1): 1014.
Pamo Tedonkeng E., Yonkeu, S. and Onana, J. 1997. Evaluation des principales espces fourragres
introduites dans lAdamaoua camerounais. Cahiers Agricultures, 6: 203207.
Pamo T.E., Boukila B., Fonteh F. A., Tendonkeng F. and Kana J. R. 2005a. Composition chimique et effet
de la supplmentation avec Calliandra calothyrsus et Leucaenaleucocephala sur la production laitire et la
croissance des chevreaux nains de Guine.Livestock Research for Rural Development. Vol. 17, Art. # 34.
Retrieved January 11,2005, from www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd17/03/tedo17034.htm
Pamo T.E., J.R. Kana, F. Tendonkeng, B. Boukila, and M.E. Betfiang 2005b. Valeur nutritive et effet
de diffrentes sources dnergie sur la digestibilit in vitro de Leucaena leucocephala ou Calliandra
calothyrsus au Cameroun. Bulletin of Animal Health and Production, 53: 149159.
Pamo T.E., L. Tapondjou, F. Tendonkeng, J.F. Nzogang, J. Djoukeng, F. Ngandeu and J.R. Kana.
2003. Effet des huiles essentielles des feuilles et des extrmits fleuries deCupressus lusitanica sur la tique
Rhipicephalus lunulatus lOuest-Cameroun. Journalof the Academy of Sciences, 2003. 3 (3), 169175.
Pamo Tedonkeng E., L. Tapondjou, G. Tenekeu and F. Tendonkeng. 2002. Bioactivit de lhuile essentielle
des feuilles de Ageratum houstonianum Mill. sur les tiques de la chvre naine de Guine (Rhipicephalus
appendiculatus) dans lOuest Cameroun. Tropicultura , 2002; 20 (3): 109112.
Pamo Tedonkeng E., Yonkeu, S., Onana, J., and Rippstein, G. 1998. Evaluation de quelques espces
fourragres locales du domaine soudanien Camerounais. Sci. Agron. & Dev., 1 : 19-5.
Pamo T.E., F. Tendonkeng, J. R. Kana, B. Boukila and A.S. Nanda. 2006b. Effects of Calliandra
calothyrsus and Leucaena leucocephala supplementary feeding on goat production in Cameroon. Small
Ruminant Research, 65: 3137.
Pamo T.E., B. Boukila, F.A. Fonteh, F. Tendonkeng, J.R. Kana and A.S. Nanda. 2007. Nutritive values
of some basic grasses and leguminous tree foliage of the Central region of Africa. Animal Feed Science
and Technology, 135: 273282.
Pamo T.E., Tendonkeng F., Kana J.R., Tenekeu G., Tapondjou L. A. and Khan Payne V. 2004. The
acaricidal effect of the essential oil of Ageratum houstonianum Mill. flowers on ticks (Rhipicephalus
lunulatus) in Cameroon. South African Journal of Animal Science , 2004, 34 (Supplement): 230233.
Pamo T.E., F. Tendonkeng, J.R. Kana, P.K. Loyem, E. Tchapga and F.K. Fotie. 2004a. Effet de diffrents
niveaux de supplmentation avec Leucaena leucocephala sur lacroissance pondrale chez la chvre naine
de Guine, Revue Elev. Md. Vt. Paystrop., 57 (1-2): 107112.
Pamo T. E, Kana J. R., Tendonkeng F. and Betfiang M. E. 2004b. Digestibilit in vitro de Calliandra
calothyrsus en prsence du Polyethylne glycol et de Brachiaria ruziziensis, Trypsacum laxum ou
Pennisetum purpureum au Cameroun. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Vol. 16, Art. # 49.
Retrieved 1 July 2004 , from www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd16/7/tedo16049.htm
Pamo, T. E., F. A. Fonteh, F. Tendonkeng, J. R. Kana, B. Boukila, P.J. Djaga and G. Fomewang II. 2006a.
Influence of supplementary feeding with multipurpose leguminous tree leaves on kid growth and milk
production in the West African Dwarf goat. Small Ruminant Research,. 63: 142149.
Pamo T.E., F. Tendonkeng, J.T.T.Kadjio, H.N. Kwami, R.K.Taboum, J.R.Kana and A. Tegodjeu. 2002.
Evaluation of the comparative growth and reproductive performance of West African Dwarf Goat in the
Western Highland of Cameroon. In: Development and field evaluation of Animal Feed supplementation
packages. Proceeding of the final review meeting of an IAEA Technical Co-operation Regional AFRA
Project organized by the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture and held
in Cairo, Egypt , 2529 November 2000. Pp 8796.
Planchenault D. 1992. Enqute productivit du btail Cameroonais Ministre de llevage des pches et des
industries animal (MINEPIA), Cameroon. CIRAD-EMVT, Mont pellier, France
Reynolds, L. and Adediran, S.O. 1987. The effect of browse supplementation on the productivity of West
African Dwarf sheep over two reproductive cycles. In: Smith, O.B. and Bosman, H.G. (eds). Goat production
in the humid tropics. Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation (Pudoc). Wageningen, The
Netherlands. Pp. 8391.
Reynolds, L. 1989. Effects of browse supplementation on the productivity of West Africa Dwarf goats; In:
Wilson , R.T. and Azeb melaku(eds); African small Ruminant research and development. Proceedings of a
conference held at bamenda, Cameroon , 18-25 January 1989. African Small Ruminant Research Network.
ILCA (International Livestock Centre for Africa) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Pp. 237250.
Smith, O.B. 1992. Small ruminant feeding systems for for small scale farmers in humid West Africa. In: Stares,
J.E.S., Said, A.N. and Kategile, J.A. (ed). The complementarity of feed resources for animal production in
Africa. Proceeding of the joint Feed resources networks workshop held in Gaborone, Botswana , 4-8 March
1991. Africa Feeds Research Network. ILCA (International Livestock Centre for Africa). Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia. Pp. 363376.
Stachurski F. 1993. Variability of cattle infestation by Amblyomma variegatum and its possible utilisation
for tick control Revue dElevage et de Mdecine Vtrinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Volume 46, Numro 1/2,
pp341348.
Tambi E.N. 1991. Dairy production in Cameroon : growth, development, problems and solutions. World
Animal Review. Number 67, 38-48. www.fao.org/DOCREP/U1200T/U1200T0G.HTM
Tambi N.E. and Vabi B. M. 1994. Analysis of factors influencing dairy market involvement in Bamenda,
North West Province, Cameroon. Agribusiness (New York), Volume 10, Number 4, pp293304.
Tarawali, G. and Pamo Tedonkeng E. 1991. A case for on-farm trials on fodder banks on the Adamaoua
plateau Cameroon. Experimental Agriculture, 28 : 229235.
Tawah C.L. and Mbah D.A. 1989. Cattle breed evaluation and improvement in Cameroon. A situation report
Institute of Animal Research (IRZ), Wakwa, Ngaoundr, Adamaoua, Cameroon.
Tawah C.L. and Rege J.E.O. 1996. White Fulani cattle of West and Central Africa. Animal Genetic Resources
Information, Number 17, pp137158
Tawah C.L., Mbah D.A., Enoh M. B. and Messine O. 1999a. Performance of taurine x Gudali zebu crosses
subjected to artificial suckling in the tropical highlands of Cameroon Revue dElevage et de Mdecine
Vtrinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Volume 52, Numro 1, pp6570, 42.
Tawah C.L., Mbah D.A., Messine O. and Enoh M.B. 1998. Effects of genotype and environment on milk
production and reproduction of improved genotypes from the tropical highlands of Cameroon. Proceedings
of the 6th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, Armidale, NSW, Australia , 1116.
Tawah C.L., Mbah D.A., Messine O., Enoh M. B. and Tanya V.N. 1999b. Crossbreeding cattle for dairy
production in the tropics: effects of genetic and environmental factors on the performance of improved
genotypes on the Cameroon highlands. Animal Science, Volume 69, Number 1, pp5968.
Tchoumbou, J. and Manjeli Y. 1991. Situation et problmatique de llevage bovin au Cameroon.

Departement de zootechnie Centre Universitaire de Dschang, 24p.
Tedonkeng Pamo E., Kana J.R., Tendonkeng F. and Betfiang M.E. 2004. Digestibilit in vitro de
Calliandra calothyrsus en prsence du Polyethylne glycol et de Brachiaria ruziziensis, Trypsacum laxum
ou Pennisetum purpureum au Cameroun. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Vol. 16, Art. # 49.
Retrieved 1 July 2004, from http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd16/7/tedo16049.htm
Teuscher T., Bahm A. and Salah J.N.S. 1992. Livestock Research Development and Policy in Cameroon :
analysis and reform proposals. Yaound, Cameroon : Institute of Agricultural Research for Development.
Vabi M.B. and Tambi E.N. 1995. Household consumption patterns of dairy products in Bamenda urban
town; Northwest Province, Cameroon. Journal of International Food and Agribusiness Marketing, Volume
7, Number 2, pp6578.
Voh, Jr, A.A., Oyedipe, E.O. and Buvanendran, V. 1984. Influence of management and of season of breeding
on pregnancy rates of zebu cattle in an artificial insemination programme. Tropical Agriculture (Trinidad)
61: 265266.
Von Massow V.H. 1984. Dairy imports into sub-Saharan Africa : Development and policies International
Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA), Addis Ababa , Ethiopia. Pp 12.
Yendji, B. 2000. Caractristiques socio-conomiques et techniques de llevage bovin sur les hautes terre
de lOuest- Cameroun: Cas du dpartement de la Mnoua. Mmoire dingnieur agronome, Universit de
Dschang, 85p.
Yerima, B. P. K. and E. Van Ranst. 2005. Major Soil Classification Systems Used in theTropics: Soils of
Cameroon. Trafford Publishing, Canada. 315p.
Yonkeu, S. and Pamo, T.E. 1994. Introduction et valuation de quelques espces fourrages amlioratrices
des pturages en Adamawa-Cameroun. Actes du colloque sur la conservation et lutilisation des ressources
phytognitiques 2325 Mars Yaound-Cameroun.
Yonkeu, S., G. Rippstein and E. Tedonkeng Pamo. 1985. Rponse au phosphore du Stylosanthes guianensis
(AUBL) s.w. Cultivar FAO 46.004 sur sol basaltique en Adamaoua Cameroun. Rev. Sci. et Techn. Sci. Ser.
Zootech. 1(2).
Yonkeu, S., G. Rippstein and E. Tedonkeng Pamo. 1986. Effet des doses croissantes du phosphore sur la
production du Brachiaria ruziziensis (Germain et Evrard) sur sol basaltique recent en Adamaoua. Rev. Sci.
et Techn. Ser. Sci. Zooteh. 1(4).
Zemmelink, G. 1974. Utilization of poor quality roughages in the northern Guinea savannah zone. In Loosli,
J.K., Oyenuga, V.A. and Babatunde, G.M. (ed.) Animal production in the tropics. Ibadan, Heinemann.
9. CONTACTS
Profile prepared by:

Prof. Etienne Tedonkeng PAMO
University of Dschang
Faculty of Agriculture and Agricultural Science
Department of Animal Production
P. O. Box 222 Dschang
Cameroon
Tel: +237 33 45 14 62; Fax: +237 33 45 13 81
Cell phone : +237 99 54 54 32
Email: pamo_te@yahoo.fr/ pamo-te@excite.com
[The first draft of this profile was completed by the author in December 2007 and following amendment
was edited by J.M. Suttie and S.G. Reynolds in March/April 2008.]

FAO Forage Profile - Cameroon PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

FAO Forage Profile - Cameroon PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Country Pasture/Forage Resource Profiles

2. SOILS AND TOPOGRAPHY 13

3. CLIMATE AND AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES 18

4. RUMINANT LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS 22

5. THE PASTURE RESOURCE 33

6. OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF FODDER RESOURCES 43

7. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND PERSONNEL 46

The Republic of Cameroon is at the

The birth of Cameroon

Table 1: Land area distribution according to the type of natural resource

and the English Cameroon. Today there are two

several agro-industrial enterprises. Between

The role of agriculture in the economy

Table 2. Contribution of the different sectors

for imported foodstuffs and outdated farming

Table: 3 Production statistics of some major staple foods thousand tonnes

Figure 7.Agricultural map of Cameroon

Table 4. Major cash crops production outputs (1 000 tonnes)

2. SOILS AND TOPOGRAPHY

Soils developed in the ferralitic zone

Soils developed in the ferruginous zone

Young soils developed from varied parent materials

Figure 8.General physical

b. The Southern Plateau

The Coastal Lowlands

The Lowlying Coast

The Rocky Coast

The Southern Plateau

The Adamawa Plateau

The Western Highlands

The Northern Lowlands

3. CLIMATE AND AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES

The main climatic elements

The wet season

The equatorial domain

The tropical climate domain

Dense equatorial forest

Rainforest; this evergreen forest, which lies

Gradient, temperature, and vegetation of Mt. Cameroon

4. RUMINANT LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

Traditional sedentary systems

Major grazing systems

Figure 10. Cameroon livestock production map

Sedentary stock rearing

Peri-urban ruminant husbandry

Cattle contribute about 54% of total Table 5. Ruminant livestock population

Table 7. Distribution of bovine herds in

Traditional dairy production

Introduction of exotic dairy cattle

Semi-intensive system and crop and livestock integration

Productivity of breeds used for milk production

Domestic milk production and demand

Figure 11. Production patterns in Cameroon

Figure 12. Dairy product imports relative to urban population

Constraints to milk production

Table 9. Tabulated constraints to dairy cattle in Cameroon

crude protein on a dry matter basis.

Milk processing Table 10. Mean values obtained by the analysis

5. THE PASTURE RESOURCE

With the current increase in crop area,

Cynodon nlemfuensis, Andropogon Table 11. Major forage species of Cameroon

Some legumes including Stylo- Loudetia simplex

santhes guianensis, Centrosema