Coffee in the Economy of the North West Province of Cameroon, 1923-1993

Abstract

One of the greatest developments that took place in the colonial economy of Africa was the phenomenal expansion in export crop production. Peasant farmers took up the production of cocoa, coffee, tobacco, tea, palm products etc, depending on their ecological environments, at an unprecedented rate. The cultivation of some of these crops may be considered a success story. However, others have remained basically problematic. While much has been written on export crop cultivation in Africa generally, coffee has not received sufficient specific scholarly attention, especially from economic historians. Most of the early works on export crops cultivation focused mainly on cocoa, oil palm, groundnut, cotton and tobacco industries, among others. In most of these works, passing references are either made to coffee or, in some cases, not at all. This is, in spite of the central position that coffee has occupied in the economies of many sub-Saharan countries. This is particularly the case in the North West Province (NWP) of Cameroon. In 1923, the economy of the then Bamenda Division, which is coterminous with the NWP, was drawn into the vortex of coffee production. Since then, coffee has remained the main export crop of the province. Ironically, not much has been written on this industry. This work is a study of the problems that have confronted the coffee industry of the NWP from its inception up to 1993. It also examines the way farmers have responded to the problems, especially following the world economic crises that have caused a slump in coffee prices since the 1980s. Specifically, the work examines the impact that coffee has had on the social, political and economic lives of the people of the NWP. The ambivalent role of cooperative marketing systems in the NWP is also examined. The approach to thestudy was both thematic and chronological, and combined description with critical analysis. It adopted both the synchronic and diachronic methods of historical analysis. Oral information elicited from sixty informants who were identified as knowledgeable on the subject and chosen from the major coffee producing areas were used to complement written sources.These included farmers, cooperative workers (both current and erstwhile), elites and civil servants. Written sources included archival, published and unpublished materials. The archival sources were made up of colonial assessment reports, annual reports of the League of Nations and of the government. This research has revealed a number of challenges that have confronted the coffee industry in the NWP. That though coffee has made some meaningful contributions to the economy of the NWP, the industry has been more problematic than successfull.While some of the problems are inherent, others are as a result of the nature of the society. Low and constantly fluctuating prices in the world market have remained a major problem of the industry. This problem is compounded by the fact that an infinitesimal amount of the product is consumed locally,which leaves the industry without a buffer capacity. Due to the lack of a domestic market, the farmers have no choice-but to accept whatever prices are offered in the world market. As such, its sustainability is doubtful. Differences in coffee prices, which arise from political than economic reasons, have also been a source of worry to the coffee farmers of :he NWP. Diseases and pests have as well constituted a major menace to the industry. The low prices, which the farmers get for their produce, do not permit them to get chemicals and insecticides to combat these diseases since they also need to support their families. A synergy of these problems has forced many farmers out of the industry and into other ventures for livelihood.