In an effort towards enhancing food security, 30 frontline staff from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER) in the North West region have completed training on the Mobile Application KoBo Collect. According to Upfront, an online news platform, this training is a crucial part of the Emergency Project to Combat Food Crises in Cameroon (PULCCA), overseen by the North West Development Authority (MIDENO).
The training session, which took place Bamenda, focused on equipping participants with the skills to use KoBo Toolbox for effective data collection and beneficiary targeting.
Cletus Anye Matoyah, the Director General of MIDENO, highlighted the project's aim to bolster the livelihoods of farmers and vulnerable communities. "PULCCA is designed to ensure food security in targeted areas, and we hope this training will enable participants to significantly impact their communities," he said.
Participants learned how to install and use the KoBo Collect app, engaged in group work, and received guidance on identifying vulnerable households and administering questionnaires. The Regional Delegate for Agriculture and Rural Development for the North West region expressed confidence in the selected participants, predicting a successful outcome for the PULCCA Project. He urged them to maintain strong collaboration with both MIDENO and MINADER to maximize the project’s benefits.
Ndeh Emmanuel, the Project’s Focal Point and Director of the Technical Department at MIDENO, praised the participants' commitment. He underscored the importance of professional responsibility, proactive engagement, and ethical conduct. "It's not about what you gain, but about what glorifies God and brings happiness to others," he reminded them.
PULCCA targets communities impacted by crises in the Far North, North, North West, Southwest, Adamawa, and East Regions. Its goals include strengthening food and nutrition security, increasing resilience to climate shocks, and mitigating short-term food insecurity while building long-term resilience.
The project includes five key components: Early response food and nutrition stabilization, Strengthening smallholders’ productive capacities through climate-resilient crop and livestock support, Enhancing government capacity for food security crisis monitoring and information systems, Project management, monitoring, and evaluation and Contingent emergency response.
MIDENO is responsible for implementing component 2.1 in the North West Region, with a 2024 budget of over 2.9 billion francs. This component aims to support over 10,000 vulnerable households with input kits for crops such as cassava, maize, rice, and plantain, as well as capacity building on climate-smart agriculture. The project also focuses on integrating internally displaced women and refugees into local organizations.
At the end of the project, senior officials including the Regional Delegate of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Director of the Technical Department, the Director of Administration and Finance, and the Chief of Agricultural Development at MINADER North West emphasized the crucial role of frontline staff in the success of the PULCCA Project and its broader impact on regional food security.
By Bakah Derick with Reports from Upfront
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