BetterCOOP
1st Cameroon Permaculture Cooperative

We are committed to protecting the global environment through the cooperative movement.

BetterCOOP Permaculture was formed in September 2012 by Better World Cameroon with supported by the Bafut Council.

BetterCOOP Permaculture promotes Development Education Programs targeting youth and women. We engage in capacity building, activities in schools, cultural festivals, Permaculture training and practice. The main goal of these initiatives is to promote awareness about living harmoniously with nature and collaborative relationships between the global “South” and “North”. We learn respect for differences and understand what unites us.

Findings in Better World Cameroon reveal that Cameroon associations and NGOs are inadequately prepared for the future, and that the threats they face are due to their just considering themselves a replica of the Cameroon system. A similar situation exists across industry and professional sectors. Funding and changing member needs ranks as the two biggest threats disrupting NGOs as they face increasing instability in a changing world. We have also identified some challenges currently holding NGOs and associations back from peak performance.

Insufficient resources ranks highest, but the other challenges are controllable factors around skill sets, capacity and culture: board capability, traditional mindsets and resistance to change. By our analysis 60 per cent of NGOs and associations in the North West Resgion consider themselves as mediocre in sustainable development growth. We intend to learn more. For this reason we are carrying out a survey, the first of its kind in Bafut to benchmark the challenges and opportunities facing associations (Bafut has the highest number of organized groups in the North West Region).

Our goal is to build the Ethics of Success using the Cooperative Model and bring innovation in looking at the Future of Associations.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has come up with specific guidelines to organize the sector. We hope our research will make clear the changes that have to be made.

Better World Cameroon’s focus on Cooperatives is because of the traditional role National Produce Marketing Board and Bamenda Food and Vegetable Cooperative played in building farmer resilience in the past.

Our findings show disruption in the lives of farmers is real and the Ndanifor Permaculture Demonstration site in Bafut has been set up to act as a wake up call for organizations in the North West Region. NGOs and associations cannot continue to be “lonely thinkers” in the face of globalization. We need a platform to share ideas. We need to ignite a debate in boardrooms which is why we are putting this all out in the open in order to address the issues and make changes.

Let’s work together to:

Organize vocational training, girls education and farming communities;

Create Permaculture School gardens;

Set up seed banks and warehouses;

Look for Fair Trade partners and providers of specialized services of Education for Sustainable Development and agri business;

Raise Awareness through Development education programs for women and youth;

Develop Supply Channels for Fruit, seeds and vegetables;

Set up IT-Centers to link up rural farmers;

Create a science and indigenous knowledge research and resource center at Ndanifor Permaculture Eco-Village.

What we offer:

Permaculture Demonstration Site at Ndanifor Permaculture Eco-Village, Bafut and the development of the Learning Center and Eco-Lodge;

Sustainable Food Production applying Permaculture techniques;

Advisory services in sustainable agriculture and environmental protection using a local Permaculture approach;

Networking for youth entrepreneurship associations, market gardeners, small and middle scale farmers and appropriate technology common initiative groups;

BetterCOOP1st Cameroon Permaculture Cooperative