1. Extension of PICS Technology in Cameroon : an example of efficient approach of parternership building between research and development G. Sobda, C. Lontchi, I. Sadou, Mbolda, B. Nyomo, O. Boukar, A. Tahirou, D. Baributsa et J. Lowenberg-DeBoer

2. Objective The goal of the project is to have 50% of farm-stored cowpea in hermetic storage plastic bags without insecticides in West and Central Africa by 2012 (cover 28 000 villages in 10 countries within 5 years) Cover 1451 villages store cowpea in hermetic storage plastic bags without insecticides.

3. Location of PICS activities in Cameroon Mainly cultivated in 2 regions : North and the Far North regions  2010 : Village demonstrations 8 divisions 427 villages in the North 1038 villages in the Far North  2011: Market demonstrations 55 markets

4. Approaches for PICS BAGS diffusion Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD) : 02 scientists; 04 technicians External Partners - Purdue University - IITA Internal Partners : -Extension services (PNVRA) : 02 regional supervisors; 08 division supervisors; 7 technicians and 146 field extensions agents - NGOs : 05 women leaders; - 1 business consultant - GIC Demri : PICS BAGS vendor

5. Activities Step1 : Trainings Fg.1 Training of Extension agents and PICS bags vendors Year No. of Men No. of Women Total 201016971 240 20113413 47 Total19384287 Fg.2 Divisional officer of Diamare launching the training session Table.1: Attendance to extension agents and vendors training

6. Step 2 : Sensitization - Localities : Villages, Markets, Churches, Mosques,…. - Support : Radios, posters in French and Fulfulde, caravans, T-shirts, Gadgets and flyers, Caps, PICS BAGS

7. Fig. 3: Sensitization in a church

8. Phone in with bags users on the radios Fig. 4: Phone talk with bags users at radio Salaamane

9. Step 2 : PICS BAGS demonstration YearTotalFemale %ConductedPlannedDifference 2010 : Villages64 54049.714651451+14 2011 : Markets6 64958.95550+5 TOTAL71 189 Table 2: Attendance to PICS demonstrations Fig. 5: Demonstration in the market Fig. 6: PICS Demonstration in the village of Gaschiga, North region

10. Step 4 : Follow up and Opening the Bag ceremonies S/NRegion Attendance Total MenWomenChildren 1Far North 24940298861823973065 2North 1436215487854538394 TOTAL 393024537326784111459 Table.3: Attendance to the Opening the Bag Ceremonies Fig.7: OBC in the North and Far North region

11. Impact of the project 5 households /village x 1465 = 7325 in 2010 3 households/market x 55 = 165 in 2011 Total = 7325 + 165 = 7490 households Training of 01 Master student from University of Maroua

12. Lessons learned Teaching of PICS Technology at the University Fig. 8: Students from the High Institute of Sahel, University of Maroua learning how to use the PICS BAGS

13. Development of strategies by farmers to solve the problem of PICS bag availability: - PICS bags lending; - Storage of cowpea in the neighbor villages or to a relationship where PICS bag is available Use of PICS BAGS to store other crops : Bambara groundnut, peanut, corn, sorgho, sesame Integration of PICS activities to the work plan of the agricultural extension services Farmers became more confident on activities conducted by Extension service in the field Recruitment of News agents to cover additional Villages

14. Recommendations Straighten of PICS BAGS supply chain Farmers express the need to be assisted in pest control at the field level and to have good quality seeds. Conclusions Cowpea farmers and dealers are satisfied with PICS BAGS technology; Farmers are waiting for the recommendations of PICS technology on other crops.

15. THANK YOU! Photo: D. Baributsa