Impacts of industrialized agriculture on land in Bafou, Cameroon

The population growth creates a lot of problems in Bafou, a village of the West-Cameroon highlands, situated on the southern of Mt. Bambouto (Figure 1) where the density of the population already goes above 900 inhabitants per km2 in some areas (J.L. Dongmo et al.). The farmers, who represent more than 90% of the population, have seen their plot area reduced by successive re-allotments. The availability of agricultural land being scarce, the farmers push cultivation higher up on Mt. Bambouto in the northern part of the village (D. Dongmo 1981, 1969, 1981). They are not reluctant at all to cultivated lands which are on steep slopes and previously in pasture (D. Dongmo 1981; J.L. Dongmo et al.; Nkangafack). Such a situation, which was an exception 20 to 30 years ago, has become common place the last few years (J.L. Dongmo et al.; Njike; Nkangafack). Because of excess population and severe restrictions on arable lands in the southern part of the village, people come to cultivate the very bottom of small valleys and valleys which were previously used for raphia (small palm trees) (D. Dongmo 1985; J.L. Dongmo et al.).