On February 19, 2025, a SAILD team visited the farm of Nathalie Ladem, an agroecological producer in the Nyom district of the Centre-Cameroon region. The purpose of the visit was to follow up on the implementation of the support she received from the organization a few months ago to develop her business.
Dwellings mingle with plantations. We’re in the peri-urban Nyom district. Just a short walk from her home, Nathalie Ladem owns a farm of over 1,000 m². The forty-year-old specializes in the production of organic vegetables. Since 2022, she has been going from strength to strength. To help her business grow, she received financial support from the Support Service for Local Development Initiatives (SAILD). This action is part of the project “Strengthening food security through the promotion of agroecology in Cameroon” with funding from the Agroecology Fund.
On the premises, an animal scent calls out to even the most sensitive nostrils. “It’s compost made from hen and pig droppings spread in the field to amend the area that will receive new plants” says the lady. Nathalie uses this natural fertilizer throughout the growth cycle of her plants. “Compost is now made in large quantities, and today it’s well preserved and more effective. Before, we made it and didn’t know where to store it. With the money I received from SAILD, I built a shelter for the compost, which is really useful against bad weather”, she testifies.
The dry season is in full swing and Nathalie has plants in the field. She continues with her usual production of tomatoes, leeks, celery, black nightshade etc… “For the last four months there has been no rain. There’s been no rain for four months. Thanks to the support I’ve had a water tower built and an irrigation system installed. I’m now able to produce all year round” she enthuses.
More yields
What’s more, she says, the financing enabled her to secure her operation: “The neighborhood chickens used to come and dig up our plants and upset the compost. Because of this, the harvests were not favorable. I was finally able to surround the whole farm with fencing and keep them at a distance” explains the agro-ecological farmer.
All these improvements have had a considerable impact on Nathalie Ladem‘s daily work, enabling her to achieve higher yields. However, the organic market gardening enthusiast deplores the lack of manpower to support her in her activity. “Young people don’t want to do the work in the fields anymore, and it’s curious to know that those who eat refuse to work the land that feeds us and guarantees our health in organic farming” she laments. Young people would do well to follow the path of sustainable practices such as agroecology for the well-being of the planet.
- Sharon Maché
