"01 administrative block, 01 diffuse light storage warehouse, 01 laboratory and 01 greenhouse". The Bayangam branch of the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD) was solemnly inaugurated on 15 March 2024 by the Minister of Scientific Research and Innovation (MINRESI), Dr Madeleine TCHUINTÉ.

The ceremony was attended by, among others, Augustine AWA FONKA (Governor of the Western Region), Professor NNANGA NGA (Chairman of the Irad Board of Directors), Dr Noé WOIN (Director General of IRAD), KOMI FIABOE (Country Representative of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Cameroon) and His Majesty Georges Désiré POUKAM II (Bayangam Paramount Chief).

Thanks to its geographical position and the altitude of its site, this facility has been identified as a prime location for the production of first-generation potato seed. So much so that it benefits from the expertise of international scientific partners such as the International Potato and Sweet Potato Centre (CIP), the University of Horticultural Sciences in Bengalore (India) and many others. The Nkolbisson reference institute's DG is convinced of the institute's potential to become a Specialised Research Station (SSR) for potato production. This promise was reinforced by the words of the IITA Country Representative: "Bayangam is the ideal place for potato cultivation. So it's not by chance that this locality was chosen". In his welcome address, the mayor of Bayangam, Gilbert METCHEKA, widely praised this choice. This structure is "a marvellous opportunity for development, to tie in with the second-generation agriculture that the President of the Republic, Paul BIYA, is so keen to see", he added.

In her inaugural speech, MINRESI solemnly acknowledged and above all praised all the efforts made by the BCM and the DG of IRAD in creating and building this infrastructure. Naturally, to make the most of this invaluable tool for local and national agricultural development, the member of government, a local elite, asked his people to make good use of the modern infrastructure acquired from the government.

On this occasion, Dr Madeleine TCHUINTÉ solemnly presented certificates of participation to the 250 women who had been trained in good agricultural practices.

The  Communication Unit

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Dr Noé WOIN, DG of IRAD

''This site enables us to produce the best potato species.

"This IRAD centre was set up because the Bayangam site is ideally located, both geographically and in terms of altitude. In fact, this site enables us to produce the best vitro-plants in the laboratory, as well as the best potato species. Thanks to the site's advantages, IRAD researchers had already begun work on the new facility, which was inaugurated today. Hundreds of seed growers and hundreds of students have been trained. And above all, it is at the centre of Cameroon's international scientific cooperation with countries such as India and Germany, through its secular arm IRAD. Today, we have a greenhouse that produces quality potato seedlings. We already produce 16 varieties of common bean as well as lowland maize varieties. In a nutshell, this is one of IRAD's 55 centres across the country. And this centre is destined to become a specialised station, given its geographical position and altitude.

Compiled by Pierre AMOUGOU

Showcased by a delegation of researchers from the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), led by the Director General (DG), Dr Noé WOIN, IRAD's 100% arabica, organic, flavoured and robust coffee was in the spotlight during the 60th edition of the Paris International Agricultural Show (SIAP) at the Parc des Expositions, Porte de Versailles, from 24 February to 03 March 2024, under the theme: "Soil and land: life in our hands". Distilling an aroma (pleasant and irresistible) that perfumes from afar to the point of stimulating the taste buds of visitors and exhibitors at the SIA, IRAD coffee was awarded the prize on 26 February by the organisers of this popular international fair.

IRAD's coffee was awarded the prestigious " Coup de Coeur des Agriculteurs du Monde" prize. This international triumph was greeted by a shower of ovations and youyous from participants and numerous visitors who stormed the Institute's stand in Nkolbisson from the opening to the closing of the show. Many visitors, once they got to the IRAD stand, couldn't resist the exceptional aroma of this coffee, which is now the envy of producers the world over.

In addition to the coffee, the institute, the secular arm of the State of Cameroon in terms of agricultural development, mobilised a slew of achievements from IRAD's fruitful research in recent years in the fields of crop production, animal and fish production, biodiversity, forestry and the environment. In honour of the President of the Republic, Paul BIYA, a great promoter of the development of scientific research in Cameroon.

The Communication Unit

In order to define the general framework of their cooperation for the period 2024-2028, the International Cooperation Centre of Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD) and the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 13 February 2024 at CIRAD's Regional Office for Central Africa in Yaoundé. In line with this protocol, an agreement was also initialled to define the hosting and collaboration conditions of Ms Amélie d'ANFRAY (a CIRAD employee) at the Nkolbisson Institute.

The two public bodies (French and Cameroonian) specialising in agricultural research for development were represented by their directors, Dr Noé WOIN (IRAD DG) and Dr Thierry LEROY (CIRAD Regional Director in Yaoundé).

This Agreement, which may be extended by means of an amendment, takes effect from the date of its signature. And these two forms of cooperation will be implemented mainly through joint research projects materialised by the signing of specific agreements or contracts and cooperation in the training and further training of personnel.

Cooperation between the two partners is open to research activities such as: "teaching and research activities; joint planning and implementation of joint or complementary research projects on themes defined jointly by the signatory parties; exchange or hosting of scientific and technical staff for the implementation of joint programmes, as well as support for researchers taking part in these activities; training of researchers and technicians, as well as hosting of trainees, study visits and other forms of staff development"; the exchange of scientific, technical and educational information; the joint organisation of seminars, colloquia and conferences; the joint publication and implementation of research results; the joint response to national, regional or international invitations to tender and the search for national or international funding; the transfer and exchange of scientific material and equipment for research or information purposes; and any other form of cooperation approved by the contracting parties. This is the first bilateral agreement between IRAD and CIRAD..

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De résultats probants de la technologie des BAR

Pour promouvoir l’agriculture de seconde génération au Cameroun, le Gouvernement, à travers son bras séculier l’Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement (IRAD), ne ménage aucun effort. À preuve, pour accroître la production des semences de pomme de terre, l’Institut que dirige le Dr Noé WOIN vient de réaliser, avec succès, la phase pilote du projet de «production de semences de pommes de terre par les boutures apicales racinées (BAR)». Projet né de la collaboration tripartite Cameroun-Inde-Allemagne.

Et pour édifier les acteurs de la filière (producteurs, semenciers, partenaires…), un atelier de présentation des résultats de la phase pilote du projet ayant duré 8 mois et conduite par des chercheurs de l’IRAD a été organisé à Yaoundé, le 28 mars 2023.

La cérémonie présidée par la secrétaire générale du Ministère de la Recherche scientifique et de l’Innovation (MINRESI), le Pr Rebecca Madeleine EBELLÉ ETAMÉ, a connu la présence d’Anindya BANERJEE et de Dr Corinna FRICKE, respectivement Haut-commissaire de l’Inde et Ambassadeur d’Allemagne au Cameroun.

«Plus de 200 producteurs sensibilisés, 25 producteurs de semences de pomme de terre formés sur la technologie des BAR et des vitro plants distribués aux producteurs de semences de ce tubercule».

Voilà, entre autres, les résultats de la phase pilote de 8 mois du projet de production de semences de pommes de terre par les boutures apicales racinées déclinés par le Dr Hortense MAFOUASSON, point focal dudit projet à l’IRAD et par ailleurs Chef de le Division de production végétale (DPV) au sein du même institut.

Il est à relever que ce projet visant à l’amélioration de la production de la pomme de terre, la création des emplois et le relèvement du revenu des acteurs de la filière au Cameroun a été réalisé grâce à l’étroite collaboration des partenaires indiens et allemands à travers respectivement l’Université des sciences horticoles de Bagalkot et la Société allemande pour la coopération internationale (GIZ), dans le cadre du Fonds de coopération tripartite avec l'Asie.

«Le Cameroun a été choisi comme partenaire en raison de la mise en œuvre pilote de la technologie de multiplication des semences de pomme de terre par la technique de boutures apicales enracinées déjà en cours au pays dans le cadre des Centres d’innovation vertes de GIZ», a, afin que nul n’en ignore, rappelé le directeur général adjoint (DGA) de l’IRAD, le Dr Francis Emmanuel NGOMÈ AJEBESONÉ, lors de son intervention. Non sans remercier, de manière solennelle, les partenaires indiens et allemands pour leur rôle capital joué dans l’acquisition de ce transfert de technologie agricole innovante (indienne) par le Cameroun.

Et dans un contexte marqué par la promotion de la politique d’import-substitution par les pouvoirs publics, le témoignage du président du conseil d’administration (PCA) de l’Association des semenciers de pommes de terre du Cameroun, Norbert KENFACK, augure visiblement des lendemains meilleurs pour cette filière au Cameroun. «Le 22 décembre 2022, j’ai mis 6 000 vitro plants dans ma serre, et figurez-vous qu’en cette fin du mois de mars 2023, je suis à plus de 58 000 boutures apicales racinées. Je suis à ce chiffre parce que j’ai arrêté de couper certaines lignes, par manque d’alvéoles pour planter…», a, au cours de son intervention, laissé entendre le multiplicateur de semences de la région de l’Ouest.