Impacts of Climate Disturbances on Crop Productivity in Santchou, Western Cameroon

The problem of agricultural production in the face of climate fluctuations in the Municipality of Santchou over the last few decades, is acutely posed.This work focuses on the impacts of climate disturbances on agriculture in the Municipality of Santchou in western Cameroon.A total of 309 randomly sampled households were surveyed using a questionnaire and 17 community leaders were interviewed.Crop growth and agricultural systems were observed and described directly on the field.Crop yields data for year 1971 to 2016 were obtained from the Santchou District Delegation of Agriculture and Rural Development (DAADR).The results indicate that increased rainfall combined with a drastic decrease in the number of rainy days caused flooding, leading to tubers rot and early harvests.There is also a proliferation of pests and parasites such as fall armyworms and Striga hermonthica, especially on maize, leading to a drop in yields of about 25% to 30% and a significant increase in the prices of products on the local market.The price per kilogram of maize, cassava, new cocoyam and sweet potato increasd respectively from 95.67 francs, 64.17 francs, 82.83 francs and 83.50 francs in 2000 to 437.5 francs, 95.83 francs, 187.17 francs and 117.67 francs in 2010.In this context, it appears imperative to develop more appropriate adaptation strategies in order to reduce famers' vulnerability to climate change.