Cameroon - Soil Information for Sustainable Land Use in Cameroon (PRESS II)

Country / Region: Cameroon / Africa
Focal Point: Soil

Begin of project: July 1, 2020

End of project: June 30, 2024

Status of project: May 21, 2024

Soil on young volcanic ashes above nutrient depleted red tropical earth Source: BGR

Spatial planning and information on georesources
Regional planning has not been prioritized by Cameroonian politics. Population growth and a high demand for agricultural products on the global market are driving land-use change in Cameroon. In Cameroon interests differ, whether to protect land, biodiversity and natural resources or to foster the economy by using these natural resources. State institutions seek to provide mechanisms for balancing interests. However, information deficits remain a major obstacle. Spatial planning requires adequate interdisciplinary analysis of geo-spatial data in order to address ecological, social and economic advantages and disadvantages of various development options.

Partner organizations in Cameroon:
The Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT) is political sponsor for the project and responsible for regional planning policy in Cameroon. MINEPAT plays a coordinating role within the Cameroonian ministries. Furthermore, the project is working closely with technical partner institutions, particularly e.g. with the country's state research institute IRAD (Institute for Agriculture). Technical partners will also be assisted at a regional level. In the North, for example, this is MEADEN, a regional development authority of MINEPAT.

The project
The aim of the project is to provide data, information and thematic soil maps, which will be both standardized and quality-checked. These are to provide a basis for qualified decision making by national and regional authorities in the North and Adamaoua region of Cameroon.

In close cooperation with technical partners, spatial data and information on soils and other georesources are prepared in the form of thematic maps. These maps combined with explanatory information will be presented to decision-makers and, more broadly, to civil society. At the same time the technical exchange between the geoscientific authorities will be improved and the ability of political actors to integrate quality-checked data and information into political decision-making processes will be strengthened (informed decision making).

The project main areas of intervention are as follows:

1.  Continuous support in capacity building in the field of digitization and harmonization of existing basic data, GIS and cartography for the creation of geoscientific maps as well as relational database systems at the geoscientific authorities. Support in the establishment of the Strategic Data Management Unit (SDMU) and the development of the design and setup of a soil database.

2.  Strengthening the professional capacities of users of geospatial information. All authorities and institutions relevant to spatial planning that either provide or require soil data will work together with MINEPAT on Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for a smooth exchange of relevant technical data. This will take into account technical aspects as well as qualitative and quantitative aspects.

Training course state-of-the-art methods on soil classification according to international standards in the local authority district Ngong, north Cameroon Source: BGR

The predecessor project was formerly located in the priority area "Environmental Policy, Protection and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources" of the German development policy.

In the course of the new programme formation at the end of 2018, the focus changed to "Rural Development", where the project cooperates closely with GIZ and KfW in the overarching thematic area of land use planning. There are further synergies with the second BGR project in Cameroon (ProSEP) on the topic of "sustainable soil management".

Due to the persistently difficult security situation in the southwest region of Cameroon, the project is now only active in northern Cameroon, but continues to try to involve partners from the southwest regional offices in specific activities.

The TC measure has a total duration of four years (07/2020-06/2024) and a financial volume of EUR 3,700,000.

More detailed descriptions of the technical work and products are available on the website of BGR Department B2.4 Soil as a Resource - Material Properties and Dynamics.

Literature:

Factsheet: Soil information for sustainable land use in Cameroon (PRESS II)

Factsheet: Information sur les sols pour une utilisation durable des terres au Cameroun (PRESS II)

Partner:

MINEPAT, based in Yaoundé (Republic of Cameroon)

IRAD, based in Yaoundé (Republic of Cameroon)