| Summary: | The report presents findings and recommendations from a qualitative study conducted in three regions of
Cameroon: West, Adamawa, and Southwest. The study is part of the Building Equitable Climate Resilient Africa
Bean & Insect (BRAINS) baseline study in Cameroon. The BRAINS project aims to enhance equitable climate
resilience to improve food and nutrition security in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) through gender-responsive
interventions in common bean, insect, and fruit tree value chains. The study collected data through focus group
discussions, key informant interviews, and in-depth interviews with farmers, entrepreneurs, persons living with
disabilities, and other marginalised groups.
The study finds distinct gender and age-related roles associated with traditional and gender norms in the
common bean, insect, and fruit tree value chains across the studied regions. These roles influenced gender
division and power relations within households. In the common bean value chain, older men typically engage in
land preparation, chemical application, and marketing. In contrast, older women are more involved in planting,
harvesting, and selling beans in local markets. Young household members, especially men, engage in physically
demanding tasks such as land preparation and harvesting.
Men dominate initial farming activities in the fruit value chain, such as nursery preparation and transplanting. They
are also involved in chemical applications. In contrast, women are more involved in the field maintenance of fruit
trees and the marketing of fruit produce. Young men assist with labour-intensive activities, while young women
engage in processing and marketing. Unlike common bean farming and marketing, beekeeping and insect
farming are male-dominated value chains. Men and male youth are involved in hive construction, installation,
and honey harvesting. Women and young women are only involved in processing honey into various products
and in marketing.
Climate change is posing challenges to common bean production, beekeeping, and fruit tree farming, affecting
the livelihoods of women and men across all regions. Farmers across the identified areas identified droughts,
heavy rains, pest infestations, changes in rainfall patterns, and rising temperatures as the most critical climate
change phenomena that significantly impact common bean, fruit tree, and bee value chains. While these changes
worsen the already challenging welfare and farming challenges experienced by PLWD, they also burden women
by increasing their workload and reducing their decision-making power within households. Despite the adverse
effects of climate change, the adoption of climate resilience practices is relatively low, especially among PLWD
and farmers engaged in beekeeping and fruit tree value chains. Furthermore, support for climate resilience from
NGOs and government initiatives is low, despite farmers belonging to and acknowledging the importance of
collective action and social networks.
Adoption of carbon-reducing waste management practices is low. Specifically, PLWD and other marginalised groups
do not engage in waste management practices. Furthermore, waste management practices varied and showed
seasonal variations. Women and youth are primarily responsible for managing household and agricultural waste.
The findings emphasise the critical importance of understanding gender roles and decision-making, climate
change impacts, the role of social networks, waste management practices, access to financial services, and the
potential for business growth across Cameroon’s four value chains. These results have both policy and practice
implications that could be addressed by considering the recommendations that aim to improve resilience,
productivity, and inclusivity in the fruit tree, common bean, and bee value chain in Cameroon:
• Enhancing information sharing on climate-resilient practices
• Promoting gender inclusivity in the three value chains.
• Supporting development of value-added products across the value chains
• Education and awareness creation in waste management for efficient waste management practices.
• Formation and strengthening of social networks.
• Fostering collaboration and collective action.
• Gender transformative approaches to shift harmful gender norms.
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