Cattle ranching: A catalyst for livestock development in Cameroon, 1974-2010

Author: 
Dr. Kimah Comfort Sjinkwe

Over the years, livestock breeding especially cattle ranching is considered as one of the major economic activity that has contributed to modernise and improve on the traditional system of breeding. Due to increasing demand of cattle and its by-products, there was absolute need to transform the sector in order to perk up the quality and quantity of cattle production. Thus, this paper seeks to examine how cattle ranching is percieved as a mechanism to boost livestock production. The Livestock Development Corporation (LDC) and its ranches (Dumbo/Jakiri, Ndokayo and Faro) in the North West, East and the Adamawa regions were created by Presidential Decree No.74/182 of 8th March 1974. This was intended to meet the aforementioned prerequisite in the livestock sector in Cameroon. Prior to its creation, cattle breeding was primarily carried out by the Fulani and the indigenous people who bred the local red mbororo, guadali and the Aku cattle species with the use of unscientific method. With this low expectation, the government of Cameroon in collaboration with both national and international institutions contributed in boosting the agro-pastoral sector.With time and circumstances, the different activities carried out in the various ranches as well as in the traditional sector have helped to improve cattle species even though it is plagued with a lot of challenges viewed from diverse perspectives. . Thus, the establishment of these ranches was intended not only to boost cattle production but also to bring socio-economic development within the areas hosting these units and beyond.

Paper No: 
1585