Rural Development Project in the North East

The project was located in Bouna and Bondoukou departments, where pervasive and endemic poverty is mainly the result of the harsh natural environment and consequent isolation from the rest of the country. The target group comprised smallholders and, specifically, women and youth.

The main objectives of the project were to increase the productivity and family income of the poorest smallholders, through a mixture of food crops, cash crops, and livestock production. The project included a focus on protecting and preserving the environment through the introduction of appropriate technology that minimizes use of the slash-and-burn techniques, encourages the adoption of anti-erosion measures and develops soil and water conservation techniques.

To support implementation, the project provided for construction of rural infrastructure and institutional strengthening, as well as establishment of a rural development fund.

Source: IFAD