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Assessment of Small-Scale Agriculture in Livelihood Enhancement in Balikumbat, North West Cameroon

Received: 23 July 2022    Accepted: 4 August 2022    Published: 12 August 2022
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Abstract

The rural poor depend primarily on small-scale agriculture and related activities to enhance livelihoods. They wrest a living through agriculture, though with many challenges. The study investigates the contribution of small-scale agriculture to livelihood improvement and the challenges faced by small farmers in Balikumbat Sub-Division (North-West Region, Cameroon). The hypothetic-deductive approach was used to test the hypotheses obtained via a systematic and a random sampling technique, with 97 respondents from 5 villages in the Sub-Division. Supplementary primary data were obtained from questionnaire respondents, interviewees and from focus group discussion participants. The questionnaire administered focused on small-scale agriculture vis-à-vis livelihood improvement. Field data was processed and analyzed using inferential statistical tool (chi-square) with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science. The calculated chi-square results revealed that physical and human challenges affect, to a greater extent, small-scale agriculture. Small-scale agriculture being the primary source of income in Balikumbat Sub-Division, contributes extensively in enhancing livelihood. However, findings suggest that 84.9% respondents attested that physical setbacks dominate challenges wrecking small-scale agriculture despite its importance in providing households basic needs. 65% of crop producers confirmed to the lucrativeness of small-scale farming. A second-guess of sensitization for this activity should be envisaged in order for it to have a tremendous positive visible result in the area.

Published in International Journal of Agricultural Economics (Volume 7, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijae.20220704.15
Page(s) 186-197
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Assessment, Small-Scale Agriculture, Livelihood Enhancement, Balikumbat Sub-division

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Ngwogeh Valery, Ojuku Tiafack, Enchaw Gabriel Bachange, Nghobuoche Frankline. (2022). Assessment of Small-Scale Agriculture in Livelihood Enhancement in Balikumbat, North West Cameroon. International Journal of Agricultural Economics, 7(4), 186-197. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20220704.15

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    ACS Style

    Ngwogeh Valery; Ojuku Tiafack; Enchaw Gabriel Bachange; Nghobuoche Frankline. Assessment of Small-Scale Agriculture in Livelihood Enhancement in Balikumbat, North West Cameroon. Int. J. Agric. Econ. 2022, 7(4), 186-197. doi: 10.11648/j.ijae.20220704.15

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    AMA Style

    Ngwogeh Valery, Ojuku Tiafack, Enchaw Gabriel Bachange, Nghobuoche Frankline. Assessment of Small-Scale Agriculture in Livelihood Enhancement in Balikumbat, North West Cameroon. Int J Agric Econ. 2022;7(4):186-197. doi: 10.11648/j.ijae.20220704.15

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijae.20220704.15,
      author = {Ngwogeh Valery and Ojuku Tiafack and Enchaw Gabriel Bachange and Nghobuoche Frankline},
      title = {Assessment of Small-Scale Agriculture in Livelihood Enhancement in Balikumbat, North West Cameroon},
      journal = {International Journal of Agricultural Economics},
      volume = {7},
      number = {4},
      pages = {186-197},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijae.20220704.15},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20220704.15},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijae.20220704.15},
      abstract = {The rural poor depend primarily on small-scale agriculture and related activities to enhance livelihoods. They wrest a living through agriculture, though with many challenges. The study investigates the contribution of small-scale agriculture to livelihood improvement and the challenges faced by small farmers in Balikumbat Sub-Division (North-West Region, Cameroon). The hypothetic-deductive approach was used to test the hypotheses obtained via a systematic and a random sampling technique, with 97 respondents from 5 villages in the Sub-Division. Supplementary primary data were obtained from questionnaire respondents, interviewees and from focus group discussion participants. The questionnaire administered focused on small-scale agriculture vis-à-vis livelihood improvement. Field data was processed and analyzed using inferential statistical tool (chi-square) with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science. The calculated chi-square results revealed that physical and human challenges affect, to a greater extent, small-scale agriculture. Small-scale agriculture being the primary source of income in Balikumbat Sub-Division, contributes extensively in enhancing livelihood. However, findings suggest that 84.9% respondents attested that physical setbacks dominate challenges wrecking small-scale agriculture despite its importance in providing households basic needs. 65% of crop producers confirmed to the lucrativeness of small-scale farming. A second-guess of sensitization for this activity should be envisaged in order for it to have a tremendous positive visible result in the area.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Assessment of Small-Scale Agriculture in Livelihood Enhancement in Balikumbat, North West Cameroon
    AU  - Ngwogeh Valery
    AU  - Ojuku Tiafack
    AU  - Enchaw Gabriel Bachange
    AU  - Nghobuoche Frankline
    Y1  - 2022/08/12
    PY  - 2022
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20220704.15
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijae.20220704.15
    T2  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
    JF  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
    JO  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
    SP  - 186
    EP  - 197
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-3843
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20220704.15
    AB  - The rural poor depend primarily on small-scale agriculture and related activities to enhance livelihoods. They wrest a living through agriculture, though with many challenges. The study investigates the contribution of small-scale agriculture to livelihood improvement and the challenges faced by small farmers in Balikumbat Sub-Division (North-West Region, Cameroon). The hypothetic-deductive approach was used to test the hypotheses obtained via a systematic and a random sampling technique, with 97 respondents from 5 villages in the Sub-Division. Supplementary primary data were obtained from questionnaire respondents, interviewees and from focus group discussion participants. The questionnaire administered focused on small-scale agriculture vis-à-vis livelihood improvement. Field data was processed and analyzed using inferential statistical tool (chi-square) with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science. The calculated chi-square results revealed that physical and human challenges affect, to a greater extent, small-scale agriculture. Small-scale agriculture being the primary source of income in Balikumbat Sub-Division, contributes extensively in enhancing livelihood. However, findings suggest that 84.9% respondents attested that physical setbacks dominate challenges wrecking small-scale agriculture despite its importance in providing households basic needs. 65% of crop producers confirmed to the lucrativeness of small-scale farming. A second-guess of sensitization for this activity should be envisaged in order for it to have a tremendous positive visible result in the area.
    VL  - 7
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, Letters and Social Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon

  • Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, Letters and Social Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon

  • Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, Letters and Social Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon

  • Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, Letters and Social Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon

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