By Jodelle Kuenbou /Project manager / RELUFA
In the Sudano-Sahelian region, economic and physical access to quality seeds remains one of the greatest challenges facing agricultural systems. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), informal seed systems provide between 80% and 90% of the seeds used by smallholder farmers, primarily through self-production and local exchanges. Strategies used to acquire seeds include storing part of the previous harvest, exchanging with neighbors, or purchasing from local markets. In the Diamaré and Mayo Tsanaga regions, where the Network for the Fight Against Hunger (RELUFA) works to address the systemic causes of poverty and hunger, these seed acquisition systems are the only ones used. However, they remain highly vulnerable to climate shocks and do not yield sufficient harvests to meet household needs.
Several countries in the Sahel region, such as Chad, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, are also experiencing recurring crises of drought, armed conflict, and community conflicts, which contribute to the fragility of seed systems and expose millions of people to food insecurity. According to a study conducted by Georges in 2011 in Nairobi, climate-related disasters lead to seed loss; however, farmers are often able to restore crop diversity over time. In fact, seeds from aid programs are often ill-suited to local conditions and do less to preserve biodiversity than local systems.
The Far North region of Cameroon reflects these dynamics. Faced with climate variability, population pressure, and displacement, rural communities struggle to access and secure their means of production. In the areas where RELUFA operates in this region, producers—mostly smallholders, face recurring difficulties in accessing suitable seeds, which directly affects yields and household food security.
In light of these challenges, community seed fields have emerged as a local, sustainable, and transformative solution. Established as part of the program “Combating Food Insecurity in Local Communities through Agricultural Production and Cereal Banks in the Far North Region of Cameroon,” led by RELUFA, these seed fields are based on a participatory approach that involves producers throughout the production process, with support from an agricultural engineer.
Since 2021, the program has been part of an effort to support farmers in developing seed production. To date, 11 community seed fields have been established in several villages in the Diamaré and Mayo Tsanaga departments, directly benefiting many vulnerable farmers. The initial results are significant: access to seeds has improved considerably. The initial results are significant: access to seeds has improved considerably. Beneficiary households now have local seed stocks that allow them to secure their farming seasons. Approximately 177 people have directly benefited from the initiative. This increased availability reduces dependence on often unstable markets and promotes a gradual expansion of cultivated land.
The cumulative benefits of this community seed field initiative for participating villages are substantial. RELUFA purchased seeds produced by the Joint Initiative Group (GIC) of the village of Ouro Domayo, one of the participating villages, to assist 100 internally displaced families in Kolofata, in the Mayo Sava Department of the Far North region of Cameroon. These families were affected by a devastating fire that ravaged their camp on February 7, 2026, and are now living in displacement in Kolofata.
From an economic perspective, community seed fields offer promising prospects. . Some producer groups are now able to generate additional income by selling surplus seeds to other villages and organizations, as noted above. This contributes to improving their living conditions and boosting local economies. Sales in selected localities amount to 1,475,500 CFA francs in the village of Gouringuel, 1,475,000 CFA francs in Mbiga, and 728,000 CFA francs in Ndeling, among others. One of the villages benefiting from this program, Gouringuel was invited by the Regional Delegate of Agriculture to the launch of the 2025–2026 agricultural season, during which it received an award for its achievements.
This community-based approach implemented by RELUFA also plays a key role in strengthening social cohesion. The collective management of fields and seed stocks fosters solidarity among GIC members and ensures more equitable access to resources, particularly for women, who are often the most vulnerable to food insecurity.
However, despite these advances, challenges remain. One of the most significant is limited funding, which hinders the expansion of this initiative to other localities in the region. In addition, the recognition of farmer-managed seed systems in public policies remains insufficient at the regional level.
In this context, the RELUFA experience highlights the importance of strengthening investment in local seed systems, intensifying technical support, and promoting agricultural policies that favor agroecology. These actions are essential for building more resilient food systems in the Sudano-Sahelian belt.
In summary, the 11 community seed fields established in the Far North region of Cameroon by RELUFA illustrate the strong potential of local solutions to address global challenges. By improving access to seeds through capacity building for producers and technical support from experts, this approach strengthens community dynamics and serves as a concrete lever for sustainably combating food insecurity in the region.
