The return of the water - IUCN

has lost 60% to 70% of its fresh weight. It was estimated that 10,000 fishermen were active (Mahamat
and Kouokam, 1997). From an earlier survey carried out in 1994, just before the first pilot release,
only half this amount was caught (Kouokam et al., 1994). Since the number of fishing days per
season is 75 days, the daily catch is more than 8 kg.
Members of a fishing-household fish and process the fish together. The father and some of his
children install fishing gear and harvest the fish. Women process and dry the fish. The dry fish weight
range from 25 kg per sack of Tilapia niloticus to 50 kg per sack of Gymnarchus niloticus.
Whatever their status, fishers pay access fees. The traditional tax, estimated at 10% of the total
production, is paid to the Lamido (the traditional Chief) and varies from 2 kg up to 20 kg of dry fish
per fisher. In addition, they pay a tax to the municipality that ranges from just over € 5 to € 45.
Fishers who own a fishing canal pay the most.
The yearly investment is around € 105 for each fishing-household. This money is allocated to pay
for fishing gear, transportation of products to the local market and to hire labour. Considering the
weighted price of € 29 per sack of fish, the gross annual incomes of a fishing household is estimated
at € 290.
Fish traders earn much more than the fishers themselves. They buy fish at local markets and resell
it in other markets in the province. The turnover of an average trader is 385 sacks with a mark-up
of around € 3.80 per sack, yielding a net benefit of € 1,425 (Kouokam, 1996). In terms of economic
value, fishing activities bring nearly € 2 million to the economy of the Waza Logone region (Mahamat
and Kouokam, 1997).
Despite its significant contribution to the local economy, fishing activities face a number of problems.
Among the most important are the power exercised by the majority of traders over fishermen, conflicts
between fishermen and other floodplain user groups (pastoralist, transhumant fishermen), and lack
of respect for fishing regulations, especially the bound fishing period and dimensions of fishing
gears.
7.5 Farming
The People of the Floodplain
The rainy season in the north of Cameroon extends from June to September. It is marked by a uneven
distribution of rain in space and time. The annual total amount of rainfall in the area, about 600 mm
in the south of the area to just under 500 mm in the north, is enough to produce red and white millet,
maize, rice, cotton, and vegetables. About once every three years, however, crop production may
fail. This occurs because either there is simply not enough rainfall, or the distribution over the
growing season has been erratic. Fortunately the government provides emergency food aid in such
circumstances to relief the plight of local people.
Agriculture is the main production activity in the Waza Logone region. A census carried out by the
Waza Logone project in 1996 has shown that out of the 200,000 people that live in this region, 60,000
people live in urban areas and 140,000 in rural areas. The same census has shown that for 25% of
the rural population agriculture is the main activity, and a secondary activity for 34% (Djuikom,
1996). Food crops are primarily grown for home consumption. Part of the crops is sold when money
is urgently needed.
Farming practices
In June, fields are ploughed and sowed with red and white millet, maize, and vegetables. Cotton,
the main industrial crop, is also sown at this time. Red millet is harvested in October. Millet is the
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