[ CONTRIBUTION A L'ANALYSE DES DISPOSITIFS D'APPUI A L'INSERTION PROFESSIONNELLE DES JEUNES DANS LE SECTEUR AGROPASTORAL AU CAMEROUN: LE CAS DU DEPARTEMENT DE LA MENOUA ]
Volume 16, Issue 1, June 2015, Pages 55–69
Guillaume Hensel Fongang Fouepe1, Denis Pompidou FOLEFACK2, Samuel NGUEDIA3, and Hervé Alain NAPI WOUAPI4
1 Department of Rural Socio-Economics and Agricultural Extension, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, Cameroon
2 Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement, B.P. 33 Maroua, Cameroun
3 Département de Vulgarisation Agricole et Sociologie Rurale, Université de Dschang, Faculté d'Agronomie et de Sciences Agricoles, Dschang, Cameroun
4 Département de Vulgarisation Agricole et Sociologie Rurale, Université de Dschang, Faculté d'Agronomie et de Sciences Agricoles, Dschang, Cameroun
Original language: French
Copyright © 2015 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Support for occupational integration of youth in the agricultural sector is a major contemporary concern in most developing countries. Not only does this support is perceived as a means to provide self-employment to many unemployed youth, but also a way to boost the rapidly emerging of a new generation of farmers adequately prepared and equipped to meet the challenges of today's agriculture and future. The scope of this article spans the critical analysis of the strategies implemented through the stimulus package for the integration of youth into agriculture with particular focus in the Menoua division in the West Region of Cameroon. First, the study highlights those aspects of the support provided by these projects in the context of the integration of youth, and second other aspects which would require more emphasis for an optimal integration. Out of 18 stimulus packages put in place to support the integration of youth in the Menoua division, 10 were subject to investigation. The findings show that 5 out of the 10 stimulus packages assessed deal with a specific type of support (including information sharing, training, or financing of vocational projects for the youth) meant to facilitate youth integration. In addition, 5 others work simultaneously on information and knowledge sharing, training and resource mobilization including the granting of funding. It is clear from the study that the insertion rate of youth assisted varies depending on the type of support provided to them by the various listed projects. The stimulus support packages operating in the Menoua division funded vocational projects of 336 young farmers for a total funding of XAF 57,991,444 in 2013 (Euro 88,408). This support accounts for XAF 172,593 (Euro 263) per young project proponent, an amount somewhat insufficient to sustain a viable project. Hence, support in the implementation of vocational projects is key as several hurdles are encountered during the realisation of the project setting up phase, including lack of access to productive assets as land tenure. Such support would also provide mentoring of youth as part of the implementation of their respective projects. We equally suggest setting up in each locality a consortium or platform of actors and stakeholders engaged in the support to the integration of youth to ensure pooling of efforts and synergy, complementarity and coherence across interventions. It appears challenging for just one structure to offer full support needed by a young project proponent, and the scales of municipality and division might be the most appropriate for operating these platforms.
Author Keywords: Integration, agricultural sector, support, strategies, viable project.
Volume 16, Issue 1, June 2015, Pages 55–69
Guillaume Hensel Fongang Fouepe1, Denis Pompidou FOLEFACK2, Samuel NGUEDIA3, and Hervé Alain NAPI WOUAPI4
1 Department of Rural Socio-Economics and Agricultural Extension, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, Cameroon
2 Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement, B.P. 33 Maroua, Cameroun
3 Département de Vulgarisation Agricole et Sociologie Rurale, Université de Dschang, Faculté d'Agronomie et de Sciences Agricoles, Dschang, Cameroun
4 Département de Vulgarisation Agricole et Sociologie Rurale, Université de Dschang, Faculté d'Agronomie et de Sciences Agricoles, Dschang, Cameroun
Original language: French
Copyright © 2015 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Support for occupational integration of youth in the agricultural sector is a major contemporary concern in most developing countries. Not only does this support is perceived as a means to provide self-employment to many unemployed youth, but also a way to boost the rapidly emerging of a new generation of farmers adequately prepared and equipped to meet the challenges of today's agriculture and future. The scope of this article spans the critical analysis of the strategies implemented through the stimulus package for the integration of youth into agriculture with particular focus in the Menoua division in the West Region of Cameroon. First, the study highlights those aspects of the support provided by these projects in the context of the integration of youth, and second other aspects which would require more emphasis for an optimal integration. Out of 18 stimulus packages put in place to support the integration of youth in the Menoua division, 10 were subject to investigation. The findings show that 5 out of the 10 stimulus packages assessed deal with a specific type of support (including information sharing, training, or financing of vocational projects for the youth) meant to facilitate youth integration. In addition, 5 others work simultaneously on information and knowledge sharing, training and resource mobilization including the granting of funding. It is clear from the study that the insertion rate of youth assisted varies depending on the type of support provided to them by the various listed projects. The stimulus support packages operating in the Menoua division funded vocational projects of 336 young farmers for a total funding of XAF 57,991,444 in 2013 (Euro 88,408). This support accounts for XAF 172,593 (Euro 263) per young project proponent, an amount somewhat insufficient to sustain a viable project. Hence, support in the implementation of vocational projects is key as several hurdles are encountered during the realisation of the project setting up phase, including lack of access to productive assets as land tenure. Such support would also provide mentoring of youth as part of the implementation of their respective projects. We equally suggest setting up in each locality a consortium or platform of actors and stakeholders engaged in the support to the integration of youth to ensure pooling of efforts and synergy, complementarity and coherence across interventions. It appears challenging for just one structure to offer full support needed by a young project proponent, and the scales of municipality and division might be the most appropriate for operating these platforms.
Author Keywords: Integration, agricultural sector, support, strategies, viable project.
Abstract: (french)
L'appui à l'insertion professionnelle des jeunes dans le secteur agropastoral est une préoccupation contemporaine majeure pour la plupart des pays en développement. Non seulement cet appui est perçu comme moyen pour offrir de l'auto emploi à plusieurs jeunes désœuvrés, mais aussi comme un moyen pour faire émerger une nouvelle génération d'agriculteurs préparés et outillés pour relever les défis de l'agriculture d'aujourd'hui et de demain. Le présent article porte sur l'analyse critique des stratégies mises en œuvre par les dispositifs d'appui à l'insertion des jeunes dans le secteur agropastoral au Cameroun, en particulier dans le département de la Menoua dans la région de l'Ouest Cameroun. Il s'agit de ressortir d'une part en quoi consiste l'appui fourni par ces projets dans la perspective de l'insertion des jeunes et, d'autre part les aspects sur lesquels il serait nécessaire de mettre l'accent pour une insertion optimale de ces derniers. Sur les 18 dispositifs d'appui à l'insertion des jeunes répertoriés dans le département de la Menoua, 10 ont fait l'objet d'analyse. Les résultats montrent que sur les 10 dispositifs d'appui à l'insertion des jeunes analysés, 5 s'occupent uniquement d'un type spécifique d'appui (l'information, la formation, ou le financement des projets professionnels des jeunes) comme action pour faciliter leur insertion. Par ailleurs, 5 autres travaillent simultanément sur le partage de l'information et des savoirs, la formation, la mobilisation des ressources y compris l'octroi de financements. Il ressort de l'étude que le taux d'insertion de jeunes accompagnés varie en fonction du type d'appuis apportés à ces derniers par les différents projets répertoriés. Les dispositifs d'appui opérant dans le département de la Menoua ont financé les projets professionnels de 336 jeunes pour un financement total de 57 991 444 FCFA en 2013 (environ 88 400 euros). Cet appui correspond à 172 593 FCFA par jeune (environ 263 euros), somme insuffisante pour mettre en œuvre un projet viable. Un accompagnement dans la mise en œuvre des projets professionnels est nécessaire car plusieurs difficultés sont rencontrées pendant l'opérationnalisation du projet d'installation, à l'instar des difficultés d'accès aux ressources foncières. Cet accompagnement permettrait aussi un coaching des jeunes dans l'implémentation de leurs projets. Nous suggérons aussi de mettre en place dans chaque localité, un consortium ou plateforme d'acteurs engagés dans l'appui à l'insertion des jeunes afin d'assurer une mutualisation des efforts ainsi qu'une synergie, une complémentarité et une cohérence entre les interventions. Il est difficile qu'une seule structure soit en mesure d'offrir tous les appuis nécessaires à un jeune. Les échelles de la commune ou du département pourraient être les plus indiquées pour ces plateformes.
Author Keywords: Insertion, secteur agricole, accompagnement, stratégies, projet viable.
How to Cite this Article
Guillaume Hensel Fongang Fouepe, Denis Pompidou FOLEFACK, Samuel NGUEDIA, and Hervé Alain NAPI WOUAPI, “Contribution to assessment of strategies for professional integration of youth in agro-pastoral sector in Cameroon: A case study of Menoua Division,” International Journal of Innovation and Scientific Research, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 55–69, June 2015.
