Local Minerals as Fertilizer
Characterization of the soils of Northern Cameroon and evaluation of the fertilizing power of local minerals
The north of Cameroon is affected by longer periods of drought due to climate change, further reducing the already low availability of food. For this reason, chemical fertilizers are increasingly being used on agricultural land to increase food production and thus counter population growth. However, in the long term, such fertilizers reduce soil fertility and end up in drinking water.
Four Cameroonian students from the Université de Ngaoundéré are carrying out this project as part of their master's theses. They are studying Management of Water Resources Soil and Environment, and have taken up the challenge of investigating and evaluating sustainable solutions to this problem. To do this, they are evaluating the fertilizing capacity of local geological materials in four villages in Northern Cameroon and developing methods to restore soil fertility without harming the environment.
The research project began with a literature review, followed by a field phase. During the literature review, data on the geology, vegetation, hydrography, and climate of the study areas are compiled. Following on from this, soil samples are collected in the field phase. In the subsequent quarters, the collected samples on the field will be evaluated in a laboratory phase where morphological and chemical-physical analyses are carried out. Further, farmers and district officers will be interviewed about cultivation techniques, soil problems and fertilizer use.
In the medium term, this work will help to provide farmers and community initiative groups in the rural sector with techniques for the sustainable management and use of soils. Thus, an important contribution will be made to curbing soil degradation in order to ensure food security.
Facts
- Country: Cameroon
- Region: Northern Region
- Project abbreviation: CMR-004
- Project start / project end: May 2023 – April 2024
- Project budget: 10,000.00 €
- Donors: Innovation Zukunft Foundation
- Scholarship per person: 78,720.00 FCFA per student each quarter
- University: Université de Ngaoundéré
- Number of students: 4 students (1 female)
- Supervisor: Prof. Jean Pierre Nguetnkam
- 3E4A-Coordinator: Souka Skribbe
Current progress
SDGs
Primary SDGs
We thank the Innovation Zukunft Foundation for their support!