ADEID Green Wealth

Degradation of Agro-ecosystems are mainly due to the large utilisation of chemical fertilizers and others POPs in crop production. progressively this lead to the decrease in crop yield and poor quality of crops and derived foods.Chemical fertilizers however lead to a decline in soil pH and the subsequent lose of basic cations.

Improved the biodiversity of the soil ecosystem through the production and utilisation of natural agricultural inputs and others ecosystem-based adaptation techniques could reverse the situation.

Healthy soil will produce healthy food for healthy diet and reduce the vulnerability of poor populations to climate change. It will  increase the  revenues of smallholders and women in rural areas, as well as the creation of new green jobs for youth along the agri value chains.  

The capacity of soil CO2 sequestration will be improved for a carbon neutral and circular sustainable agriculture.

Soil degradation is a result of one or more processes which lessen the current and/or potential capability of soil to produce (quantitatively and/or qualitatively) goods or services. According to the FAO report, soil pollution has an adverse impact on food security in two ways –it can reduce crop yields due to toxic levels of contaminants, and crops grown in polluted soils are unsafe for consumption by animals and humans. Soil pollution can lead to the emergence of new pests and diseases by changing the balance of ecosystems and causing the disappearance of predators or competing species that regulate their biomass. It also contributes to the spreading of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and genes, limiting humanity’s ability to cope with pathogens.

Pollution can also cause the quality of soil to dwindle over time, making it harder to grow crops. Currently, the degradation of land and soils is affecting at least 3.2 billion people – 40 per cent of the world’s population.

Overuse and abuse of pesticides at many places lead to a high incidence of accidental poisoning, with an estimated 300.000 self-poisoning cases in Asia according to FAO. 

The production and utilisation of organic bio fertilizers, bio pesticides and natural herbicides, combines with EbA techniques such as agroforestry, sustainable grazing and efficient postharvest technologies will help to improve the soil biodiversity and restaure its ecosystem. Global demand is for safe, non-toxic, nutritious food products. These products can be obtained only by good agricultural practices, followed by safe post-harvest processing techniques. Traditional’ field knowledge for combating problems related to soil degradation and pests will be considered. More requirement of organic and pesticide independent food ingredients is the prime driving force for innovative ideas formulating green manure, natural herbicide and safer pesticides for agriculture practices.

For exemple, Cow dung and urine can be used for green fertiliser ; Pyrethrin, neem extracts, essential oils, and alkaloids extracted from various plants show significant effects on pests which include repellency, feeding deterrence, negative impact on oviposition, growth inhibition, disruption during mating, chemo-sterilization, etc.

In order to increase significantly the soil CO2 sequestration, biochar, the ecological charcoal produced from the timber exploitation or other agricultural wastes,  will be combined to the green manures. The products will be presented in solid and liquid formats depending of the market.

• The target populations are women, youths and men involved in agri-business. We will work in 15 councils with farmers groups involved in sustainable agriculture, called "Community Green Tontine". 70% are women, 10%men and 20% youths.

Women mainly work on crop production, small aquaculture and small livestock, postharvest storage and commercialisation, crop and non Timber Product processing for food, oils and natural medecine.

Youths are involved in green jobs along the value chains, such as agri-green-inputs production, Micro and small agro-enterprises for crop transformation.

• Their needs have been assessed through an inclusive dialogue for transformational change. The result was self definition of their problems and contraints and the proposition of possible solutions, including local knowledges.
• Data on the Baseline situation was collected and indicatators to evaluate the changes were difined together.
• A matrix to collect data was also elaborated and will help for monitoring and evaluation as well as for the analysis for decision makers at the Council level and national autorities in charge of climate, ecosystem management and youth employment.
• The baseline will be to establish the gap that the solutions are needed. Specifically, show people lacked means to dry hygienically, charcoal use was rampant and people needed alternatives, youth willing to train in developing the solutions, local councils willing to engage and agreeing with the gaps, need for efficient market linkages, existence of ongoing initiatives to build on for low risk implementation etc. The baseline is simply to show what was done before, and now how the climate action solution comes to bridge this gap, and also willingness of the people to take these up;  
• Local structures – the councils and mayors are need to be part and parcel to enhance ownership. These will specifically be responsible for getting willing youth to be trained in climate friendly technologies, agric bio-inputs such as bio fertiliser including biochar/ charcoal briquettes making and engagement of community to take up these solutions;
• The green inputs will help beneficiaries to produce more, secure their revenues, stay in good health, develop new green innovative jobs and business opportunities such as ITC for development.

. In order to sustain the soil restauration effort by the communities and reduce the risk due to postharvest food losses due to climate change and other natural pests and hazards, an additional technology, already tested and deployed on the field for drying will be added. As an example, people with gaps in postharvest losses say in rice, cassava, tomato, as additional problem will become familiar with decentralized solar dryer system and engaging to be part of the solutions process – where they use the dryer as a cooperative to cut their postharvest losses, and then get a means to increase their incomes. Data from them on the drying rates and effectiveness of the dryer could be targeted.

• In the same order we are working to increase the ownership of agroforestry practices at the farm level.

As futher aspect of our engagement, we will develop an ICT application for soil assessment and other green agricultural services  called LANDPAD,  to improve the accurate analysis of soil and inputs needded for sustainable restauration,  as well as to bio production standards implementation.

• The biggest return for the project is the data on the market uptake of the solutions, the effectiveness of the solution in terms of how well the bio-inputs, adding with solar dryers contribute to improve biodiversity, carbon stocks, productivity, income opportunities created etc.

·       The local strategy to mobilise funds through women solidarity associations and other solidarity groups called “ Jangui groups” is helping to aggregate local projects to enable access to financial capital for their ecosystem services; 

 Agric value chains approach helps the promotion of green MSMEs and Star-ups and Create scalable economic opportunities for local communities.

What are doing is to production of green fertilizers and pesticides using agri waste, animal wastes such as cow dung, ecological wood charcoal as biochar or compost.

• Our products is presently tested in 5 communities :
• Maga, with 50 Members ;
• Pitoa, with 30 members ;
• Ngong, with 30 members ;
• Velem-Bai, with 20 members ;
• Abong-Mbang, with 20 Members.
• The product is developing with the the target groups in three agroecological zones in Cameroon and data will be collected to have some precisions about the results in terms of crop yield, pest control and soil ecosystem restauration.

• During the years, the national agric policy was to promote chemical fertizer and pesticides. Even in the University, the curicula was about intensive agriculture with modern equipments and chemical inputs.
• Our solution is the reintroduction of traditional knowledge in agriculture and the modernisation of this.
• The innovation aspect is also the way that the solution will be sprayed in all the 5 agroecological zones of Cameroon, that is at scale level.

Last year we experienced the market with the presentation of two types of Irish Potatoes, one cultivate as usual, and the secong with bio fertilizers and pesticides. Custumers accept to pay the difference of 3 Dollars US above. The market is now requesting for heathy foods.

• Our solution is also the new way to have clean environment and to create new green jobs. The involment of youth in this sector and the fact that they can generate income through it is the sustainable way to promote the technology.
• The biochar production based on ecological charcoal from timber exploitation wastes, and the collection of the wooden vinegra for pesticide uses is new in area, and will help to reduce the soil pollution. This is now experiment in Abong-Mbang area.

Today: 100 direct, 50000 indirect

Year1: 500 direct, 100000 indirect

Year 5: 100 000 direct, 3000 000 indirect

• At the level of food production we are looking for quantity, quality and yield.
• At the level of the soil we are looking for its biodiversity, the absence of pollution and its sustainability. We are also working for a low carbon agriculture by increasing the CO2 sequestration’s capacity of the soil. We are also looking for the quality of the landscape and the different ecosystem services.
• At the level of climate’s change adaptation we are looking for improved and adaptated seeds, wetlands management and diversification of green jobs along the agri-value chains
• At social level we are looking for gender equality through the empowerment of women and girls and the support of their income green generating activities. So we are organizing them in social fund raising groups in other to mobilize internal means to fund their projects. Those groups are called « Green Tontine ».
• At the consumption level we are looking for responsible food consumption and management and a healthy diet behaviour.

Full time: 3

Part time: 5

Consultants: 3

The team is composed by many specialists with a lot of experiences.

- We have have one female specialist on land rigth, economy rigth and women empowerment with more than 10 years experience in rural development projects as well as climate projects. she is now conducted a work on carbon rights.

- The second member is an agronomist specialised on green technology and MSME promotion. With more than 20 years experience in rural area and small enterprises in urban area, he has the skill to conduct the project. he also have some experience to design projet and business plan and also specialised in project monitoring and evaluation. Ha has conducted many work with international bodies in many countries around the world and have a good knowledge of DRC and Madagascar. DRC can be a second country for this project for the coming years.

- The third member is a young scientist specialised in landscape management and community livelihood. He is the one conducted an experiment work on green agri inputs with communities. With an experience of 3 years on the field and five years in bee-keeping work with rural youths.

- We also have an internship member, a female, specialised in agroforestry and forest management. She is assisting the project to develop the low carbon circular agriculture and tree nursery development by women groups.

All the team have a small knowledge on ITC and IOT.

We link inclusivity to overall mission, vision, values and goals.

For example, if one of our goals is to become a recognized brand globally, then we can teach our employees that a global mindset starts at the workplace.

Regularly hold diversity and inclusion talks and seminars in the workplace and on the field with communities.

We are organising webinars to share experiences, mainly with the situation for COVID19.

We create our own anti-discrimination and equal opportunity policies.

We also use mentoring with leaders in rural area and train them how to bluid their business plan, to manage their team, to follow-up the project and to organise lobby with local authorities.

We also train the leaders on how to use digital instruments in order to facilitate the monitoring of activities and also be familiar with e-commerce.

We have also develop a web plateforms for leaders and this helps to raise questions and exchange the solutions.

We are working to develop inclusive solutions for communities problems;

For that we need to carry out  some work based on technology solutions.

The solution can be found at local level, but will need some improvement and some scientific approach to really consolidate it. 

As we are using a business approach to fight again poverty, there is a need for support to help realise the work and raise the level and life conditions of the communities.

We need the support of Solve to overcome the different barriers and be able to implement our solutions.

The result of all that will also refer to the creation of green micro enterprises for the production of bio fertilizers by the youths in rural area.

We also need the government to take part by promoting laws and regulations to facilitate the production and use of green agriculture intrants.

Some work to bring public to validate the model is useful and that need a communication strategy and good business model.

Together with SOLVE we can fullfil this goal.

The development of a good business plan is important for the success of the enterprises. We need also better access to the market for our products and this needs a marketing strategy. This will lead to a professional service distribution , necessary to expand our client base.

The digitalisation of our services is also one of the channel to modernise our activity and to make more people aware on what we are doing. So we need your support to help us achieve all this.

We will like to partner with MIT faculty and others funded initiatives that have developped solution relevant to our needs.

We are open to work with other SOLVE partners that goal is aligned on our vision and missions.

ADEID is presently working with refugee,  Its projects in Cameroon have been approved by UN-OCHA in charge of the coordination of UN humanitarian activities.

For exemple the project "Support for better access to food security, finances and education for women, girls and studens displaced by the Anglophone crisis, as well as host communities in the departments of Mifi and Noun" 

According to the UNOCHA report in Cameroon for August 2020, 162726 people are displaced in the Western region in 2020 compared to 123308 in 2019. Noun has 32047 and Mifi 20,000. The two departments have two main categories of internally displaced persons (IDPs); those displaced from the North West and South West regions to the West, and those displaced within the two regions due to attacks by non-state armed groups (NSAGs) in communities close to the NOSO. Combined with the increase in the number of IDPs and the emergence of COVID-19, the lack of an effective humanitarian response in the Western region has further deteriorated the living conditions of IDPs. 
The presence of IDPs in the West is putting great pressure on existing social services. The IDPs, of whom about 80% are women and children, face a serious humanitarian situation in their host communities. More than 65% of displaced people are in need of direct food assistance. There are reports of rape, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and physical abuse. There is an escalation of abuses and violations against women and girls because of their vulnerability. 

ADEID is presently working on the project called: 

Using "Jangui" Innovative Financing Model to drive up take of Climate Action Solutions to create wealth for Women and Youth in Cameroon.

The tontine is a secular tradition among the peoples of the mountainous region of Cameroon. It is also called Jangui especially by the English-speaking peoples. Nowadays, this practice has spread throughout the republic, both at the community level and within various associations, including professional circles. 

Unlike traditional cooperatives that focus on convening actors around savings alone, these tontines are formulated around convening actors to “co-operate around solutions”. To collaborate in developing and applying these climate action solutions that bridge specific greening and value addition gaps these actors have – be it gaps in solar drying to cut PHLs; in organic fertiliser to increase yields; in clean fuel briquettes to ensure non-polluting value addition e.g. in cooking; in processing; in standards certification under ANOR, where climate solutions of EBA & solar dryers can ensure affordable means to achieve compliance in organics, food safety and health; in linking to markets etc. Then out of these greening actions, income opportunities are created as forecast in the analytical models, and these incomes enable growth of savings. And out of these savings, investment in more greening solutions can be done. The aim of this model is to ensure that no actor is locked out of participation for lack of having upfront financing to put in a “savings cooperative”. 

ADEID is developping climate friendly technology to solve communities problems. For exemple charcoal biochar are produced and used in the soil to increase its capacity of carbon sequestration. This is the same with agroforestry and the greening of all the value chains of the local economy.

In order to reach more communities, digital plateformes are developping to help them exchange their experience and lean from each other.

The COVID 19 has shown the necessity of  the utilisation of soft equipment for training, conferences, commercialisation and also environmental workshops.

In order to strenghten the capacity of women and community to share their climate knowledges and solutions, we have develop a project to equip 20 rural communities with IOT materials.

These include Destops, screen, video projectors and Android telephone. in some cases clean source of electricity is need because the absence of electricity provider in the area. Some connection facility is also needed.

We are looking for such support  that will also help youths from poor families to attend digital school classes provided by the ministry of education or other non profit organisation. Those youth will be familiarised with ecological footprint, environmental education and climate actions.

To drive operationalisation of the Cameroon commitment to the Paris Agreement, Cameroon has other critical policies in place – including the Growth and Employment Strategy, the Rural Sector Development Strategy, the National Agricultural Investment Plan, the National ICT Plan and greening and digitalization policy, which underscores the urgent need to digitalise actions in critical sectors like agriculture, among key ones. Implemention of NDCs through an integrated approach instead of a silo climate focus, and by prioritising actions through key sectors of agriculture and clean energy that are equally prioritised in the other key development policies, provides Cameroon a timely opportunity to achieve its climate and socioeconomic development priorities simultaneously.

This integrated paradigm was validated through work undertaken under the EU-UNEP Africa Low Emissions.

The biggest return for the project is the data on the market uptake of the solutions, the effectiveness of the solution in terms of how well the bio-inputs, adding with solar dryers contribute to improve biodiversity, carbon stocks, productivity, income opportunities created etc. Only AI and machine learning can help to afford it.

In Jakiri and Ngoulemakong municipalities, practically and empirically showed that greening agro-value chains by combining use of climate resilient Ecosystems Based Adaptation approaches (EBA) such as agroforestry for on farm cultivation with clean energy solutions such as solar dryers & micro-hydro for preservation and processing and digital marketing Information Communication Technology (ICT) systems to link processed produce to markets in a low carbon footprint approach, can achieve both NDC commitments and socioeconomic priorities. 

Many women and youth in rural and urban areas are working in the informal sectors, and trying to organise them self to be able to fulfill their goal. To do so they have created many tontines as the means to gather  and save their money. This helps them to develop their green jobs and also help to save the ecosystem and climate issues.

Different tontines engage in different value chains and have various gaps that need to be bridged. These have been mapped in preparation for convening then to collaborate in accessing the climate action solutions they need and deploying them to bridge their respective gaps and enhance their incomes.

An ICT solution for market access was also experiment and need to be strenghten. Practice shows that people are looking for healthy certified products because of the high increase of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. We are then looking for the utilisation of blockchain for the tracking of the products.

At the same time, because of the low financial governance in many cooperatives and tontine systems, many women and cooperatives members are now looking for a safety money transfert system and saving; We are then working for the introduction of cryptocurrency in their activities, and are prepared for the creation of wallet accounts of women and youths.