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2 FARMING SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Okigbo (1986) defines a ‘farming system’ as a set of biophysical and socio-economic farm
activities in which the farmer or farm family manages certain resources (land, capital and
labour) to produce food, feed, fibre, shelter, and other necessary products.
Farming systems research considers the farm as a whole and must deal with all aspects of the
farm. It aims at identifying and analysing all components of a farm and the interrelationships
between them, in order to gain full understanding of the practices, problems, constraints and
opportunities related to agricultural production and forest conservation. The understanding of
the farming systems provides a basis for determining research and development strategies and
priorities, so that technologies are developed and development is planned that will be relevant to
the farmers’ needs and dynamic circumstances.
A good deal of publications on farming systems practices in many parts of the world exists. In
southern Cameroon, farming systems have been described for mid-humid areas (Leplaideur,
1985a; 1985b; Mutsaers et al., 1981; Atayi and Knipscheer, 1980; Nounamo, 1997; Almy et al.,
1990). The methodology or approach was limited to the socio-economic and agronomic
description of the systems, with very little interest paid to local population priorities and
production strategies, interrelated impacts and trends, and linkages to deforestation, soil
degradation and crop yield. Information on farming systems in the moist evergreen forest of
southern Cameroon is limited and very sparse. However, the shifting cultivation component of
the farming systems practices may represent a greater threat to forest conservation than timber
exploitation. Understanding the shifting cultivation practices and the trends and relationships
between field expansion, soil degradation, crop yields and socio-economic factors may provide
a basis for determining research and development strategies and priorities for the improvement
of agricultural production and forest conservation and the achievement of sustainable use of the
moist evergreen forest land.
2.2 METHODOLOGY
The methodology followed in the farming systems study consisted of site selection, collection of
secondary data through consultation of existing documents, interviews of key informants, and
collection of primary data through participatory and exploratory survey, case studies and
measurements.
2.2.1 Site selection
Four study sub-sites (see Figure 1.1 and Table 2.1) were selected within the TCP research area
for detailed farming systems and soil degradation studies on the basis of an aerial photo
interpretation map drawn by Touber (1993). According to van Gemerden and Hazeu (1999), this
map subdivides the research area in four physiographic levels ranging from about 200 m above
sea level (asl) in the west to more than 900 m asl in the east and southeast. One sub-site
covering one village was established in each physiographic unit. The four selected villages are:
- Ebimimbang near Bipindi subdivision, with elevations of 150-250 m asl. Soils are mostly
Ultisols with sandy topsoils, referred to as Ebimimbang soils.
- Ebom near Lolodorf subdivision, with elevation between 350-500 m asl. Soils are Oxisols
with clayey topsoils, referred to as Ebom soils.
- Mvié near Akom II subdivision, elevation of 250-400 m asl. Soils are Oxisols with clayey
topsoil referred to as Ebom soils.
- Nyangong is located towards the Ebolowa city, with elevation greater than 500 m asl. Soils
are Oxisols with very clayey topsoils, referred to as Nyangong soils.
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