Family farming practices contribute to families’ wellbeing on the Bioko Island
25 March 2016, Equatorial Guinea - Farmers on the Bioko Island, in Equatorial Guinea, who traditionally practice subsistence farming, have received technical support and inputs to improve their agricultural practices.
The Africa Solidarity Trust Fund has funded "Food security strengthened in urban and peri-urban areas in Central Africa" project*, jointly executed by FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forest. It benefits beneficiaries and their 31 groups who live in the capital and in the peri-urban villages of Basupú and Batoicopo.
Family farming in Basupú
Farmers' plots of half a hectare or so have been prepared with equipment made available by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests and have been planted with a variety of crops. These include cucumbers, green beans, parsley, and eggplant, all through certified seeds which were provided by the project.
Participants have strengthened their knowledge thanks to inclusive and participatory techniques such as the Field Farmers School, a useful down-to-earth tool to help improving agricultural production. Farmers are also encouraged to work in teams to lay ground for future agricultural cooperatives.
Farmers' voices
“I keep my children and my family working in agriculture. I have seven children and five grandchildren. This project gives me more hope to improve our quality of life” said with satisfaction Mrs. Mari Carmen Davies, a native of Batoicopo.
"I have been learning a lot. Now I know new ways of preparing the land and planting good seeds and harvest better crops", said Ms. Africa Mba, a farmer resident in the same village.
* In addition to Equatorial Guinea, the project benefits farmers in urban and peri-urban areas of Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe.
Contact: FAO-Eq-Guinea (FAOGQ) <[email protected]>
(Photo: ©FAO/Santiago Benito)