Food insecurity is a major concern in Northern Cameroon. The level of production increases at an inferior rhythm than population (MINADER 2008). At least 40% of Cameroonians live under poverty; they are unable to provide the basic necessities of life (nutrition, health, education and accommodation). According to Borlaug, 2007, agro forestry is an alternative method of traditional agriculture on how the future might unfold in traditional farming. Agro forestry can be used as an alternative system in the field of agriculture as it helps to improve soil fertility and food security, protection of water catchment and other key ecosystem thereby influencing biodiversity conservation.

In collaboration with Trees for the Future, the agroforestry department of ERuDeF carried out a feasibility study to know the root causes of food insecurity and poverty in that region of Cameroon. The findings indicated that the farmers use archaic tools; destroy soil substrate by abusively using chemical products, wrong soil tillage and faster stubble burning. They have little knowledge on soil degradation, conservation, and biodiversity and culture rotation process. Thus, there is the need for the introduction of agroforestry and forest gardening technologies.

This project seeks to improve on food security and income of local farmers in Northern Cameroon through agroforestry techniques and reforestation.

Among many others, the project seeks:

· To increase household and community food security techniques with increased farm yields through alley cropping,

· To improve economic sustainability of household through farm optimisation,

To secure the protection of 10 water catchments,
· To protect at least one protected area by promoting improved agricultural techniques.

With the implementation of this project,

· Household food security of 400 famers will increase by 70% through increase in access to diverse food crops,

· Household resilience to economic sustainability of 400 farmers will increased by 60%

· Quantity and quality of water will increase by 50% in volume by 2021,

· Biological diversity will increase by 70%.

To realize this project, USD$225000 is needed for 5 years. Of this amount, $80,000 would be used for sensitization, $35,000 to support communities’ network through the donation of agricultural equipment and agroforestry tree seedlings, $65,000 to be used for training and capacity building and $45,000 for monitoring and evaluation.

This project will be implemented by a team of experts in agroforestry for Environment and Rural Development Foundation (ERuDeF). Since the implementation of that in the Western part of Cameroon in 2007, our organisation in collaboration with their international funders has change the life of more than 1000 farmers by integrating six million agroforestry species and grafted fruit trees in small piece of land of farmers to improve their soil fertility, productivity and diversify their income.

For more information, kindly visit our website: www.erudef.org

Food insecurity and poverty is an inseparable link, to fight against them, sustainable agriculture by practicing new agricultural techniques is indubitable. Your prompt intervention will improve on the livelihood of resourced poor farmers through equipping and empowering them with the necessary tools so as to upscale their agricultural production, hence, combating global food insecurity.