MIDENO Seed Programme

Multiplying and distributing improved planting material such as seeds of important crops, of the North West  Region  is one of the  functions which the North West Development Authority (MIDENO) was  mandated   to perform right from its  creation in 1981.

The North West Region is one of the very few regions of Cameroon enjoing research results involving crop/livestock production activities. As concerns crop production, new and improved types of crops varieties are beneficial to farmers only when viable and clean seeds are available in good and acceptable conditions, i.e. free of unwanted (useless) material such as seeds of weeds or other crops etc. These unwanted material if not eliminated may create some problems during storing or may cause the planting activity to be slow and expensive as farmers will spend extra time selecting seeds instead of planting.

Objective

To improve on crop production and productivity through the multiplication and distribution of improved seeds.

Impact

To carry out its seed programme satisfactorily, MIDENO has in the past been performing the following rules:

1. Assisting some Government or private services in training farmers in modern methods of seed production and processing.
2. Obtaining foundation material for crops such as maize, potato, beans and rice from the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD) and the Upper Noun Valley Development Authority (UNVDA) and giving to well trained seed growers as loan-packages through the MIDENO Credit Scheme.
3. Ensuring that seeds of important crops like maize, potato, beans etc.  are available in adequate quantities at the right place and time, the authority usually cultivates a quantity of foundation material from Research as a back up (back-stopping) at her seed multiplication farms located in all seven Divisions of the Region.
4. Seeds produced by MIDENO usually reach the farmers through Agricultural Extension staff, local selling agents who work hand in hand with MIDENO Management to ensure that the unit price of each type of seeds is affordable.

After using seeds/seedlings produced by MIDENO for a long time now, most farmers of the North West Region have come to discover the profit they can get by using  good seeds. They do not only plant good seeds from MIDENO, but they endeavour to plant the right type of seeds at the right time and place (low, mid and high Altitudes) in keeping with knowledge gained during trainings on related production practices.