ISSN 2167-0447
International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 6 (7), pp. 1067-1076, July, 2016. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Economic viability of smallholder yoghurt production for a sustainable rural development scheme: The case of Bambui Cameroon
Mbohjim Othniel Mobit1*, Ching Song Etiene Kain1, Nchinda Valentine Petentsebenkwange2,3 and Laetitia Ako Kima1
1Catholic University Institute of Buea, P.O Box 563 Buea, SWR, Cameroon.
2Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Cameroon.
3University of New England, Australia.
Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: (+237) 677476841.
Accepted 07 March, 2016
Abstract
Halving poverty by 2015 as per the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) tuned African Development Agenda toward revamping the Agricultural Sector. This spurred the African Union to consider 2014 as “The Year of Agriculture” under the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP). With the strategic principle of partnership and alliance to include farmers, agribusinesses, and civil society communities, sustainable rural development can be achieved through the development of the Non-Farm Economy (NFE) such as smallholder yogurt producer’s cooperatives. On this premise, a 3 months experimental survey was carried out at the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD) Bambui, Cameroon to establish the economic viability of Yogurt production using the Return on Investment (ROI) approach. It was found that for every 1000XAF ≈ US$ 2 invested in yogurt production there is a 340 XAF ≈ 70 cents return. Returns are piece meal but will attract huge investment if operated in a cooperative as it will increase marketability and reduce production cost.
Key words: Sustainable rural development, non-farm economy, dairy products, yoghurt.