Heifer International, Cameroon, an international integrated animal-agriculture development organisation is to expand its activities to the East and South Regions in 2012.

Talking to reporters recently in Yaounde, the Country Director, Dr Njakoi Henry said a pilot livestock project will be introduced as from July 2012 on both sides of the Dja Reserve in the Dja and Lobo Division of the South Region and Upper Nyong Division of East Region.

“The project will be the first of its kind for Heifer Cameroon in the forest zone where we will be trying to provide alternative sources of animal protein and income to about 1,500 farmers to keep them away from poaching,” explained the Country Director. The forest people, he said, largely depend on harvesting forest resources for subsistence. The project concept is to be concluded before the end of the year while the next six months will be spent in raising funds, he assured.

The charity whose mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth, has been operating in the country since 1974. With national headquarters in Bamenda in the North West Region, the non-governmental development organisation currently runs integrated animal-agriculture projects in six regions notably, North West, South West, West, Littoral, Centre and Far North.

The scope of its assistance to farmers includes provision of all types of livestock and crop- related training and follow up, farming inputs and food-producing animals, support to grassroots self-help leadership and development of viable farmers cooperatives and groups. It also promotes natural resource management to enhance sustainable agriculture and environmental protection, the socio-economic empowerment of physically challenged people, women and youth as well as sensitizing and training on gender equity and HIV/AIDS.

Heifer’s strategic focus areas for the period July 2009 to 2014 are sustainable food systems and income security through agribusiness development, integrated strategies for human nutrition, health and the environment, gender and youth, and programme management, development and strengthening.