Land suitability and feasibility study for oil palm and rubber plantations in south-wést Cameroon Volume 1 Main report pot

34 Land suitability and
feasibility study for
oil palm and rubber
plantations in
south-wést
Cameroon
Volume 1
Main report
(LSKKo) (£3©@®Qfl«§@© ©©WSft^pMKMtë
^
®W©08©aS
[5)©w©0®(poüD©öOQ:
ÄtäOüöftjOfigaTStöficM)
Land Resources DevelopmerftCnentre
Land suitability and feasibility
study for oil palm and rubber
plantations in south-west
Cameroon
Volume 1 Main report
E A Wyrley-Birch, I P Anderson, WJR Cox,
M Errington and S H Walker
Land Resource Study 34
Land Resources Development Centre, Overseas Development Administration,
Tolworth Tower, Surbiton, Surrey, England KT6 7DY
1982
43>5
Scanned from original by ISRIC - World Soil Information, as ICSU
World Data Centre for Soils. The purpose is to make a safe
depository for endangered documents and to make the accrued
information available for consultation, following Fair Use
Guidelines. Every effort is taken to respect Copyright of the

materials within the archives where the identification of the
Copyright holder is clear and, where feasible, to contact the
originators. For questions please contact
indicating the item reference number concerned.
LAND RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
The Land Resources Development Centre, one of the scientific units of the Overseas
Development Administration, assists developing countries in mapping, investigating
and assessing land resources, and makes recommendations on the use of these resources
for the development of agriculture, livestock husbandry and forestry; it also gives
advice on related subjects to overseas governments and organisations, makes scientific
personnel available for appointment abroad and provides lectures and training courses
in the basic techniques of resource appraisal and development. The Centre works in
close cooperation with government departments, research institutes, universities and
international organisations concerned with land resources assessment and development
planning.
CENTRE DE DÉVELOPPEMENT DES RESSOURCES DE LA TERRE
Le Centre de Développement des Ressources de la Terre (l'un des organismes
scientifiques de l'Administration Britannique de Développement Outremer) apporte son
aide aux pays en voie de développement en matière de cartographie, recherche et
evaluation des ressources de la terre et fournit des recommandations quant ä
l'exploitation de ces ressources pour le développement de l'agriculture, l'élevage et la
sylviculture. Le Centre offre également des conseilles techniques aux gouvernements et
organismes outremer, se charge de trouver du personnel scientifique pour les postes a
pourvoir ä l'étranger et organise des conférences et des stages de formation sur les
techniques de base relatives a revaluation et ä la mise en valeur des ressources. Le Centre
travail
Ie
en étroite cooperation avec services gouvernementaux, instituts de recherche,
universités et organismes internationaux s'occupant devaluation des ressources de la
terre et de plans de développement.

ISSN 0305-6554
ISBN 0-86182-001-0
Contents
VOLUME 1
page
LIST OF MICROFICHE DOCUMENTS viii
LIST OF FIGURES viii
LIST OF TEXT MAPS viii
LIST OF SEPARATE MAPS ix
ABSTRACT AND SUMMARY xi
RESUME ET SOMMAIRE xxiii
PART 1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Preface 1
1.2 Objectives 1
1.3 Team composition 2
1.4 Methods 5
1.5 Selection of areas for survey and study 6
1.6 Acknowledgements 9
1.7 The structure of the report 9
PART2 THE NATIONALAND REGIONAL SETTING 11
2.1 The country and its characteristics 11
2.2 Current economic situation 11
2.3 Agriculture in the economy 12
2.4 National rural development strategy: the Minep Five-Year Plan 14
2.5 Institutions and development in South-West Province 15
PART
3
THE BOA PLAIN DEVELOPMENT AREA 17
3.1 Physical features 17
3.1.1 Geomorphology 17

3.1.2 Soil and land suitability 18
3.1.2.1 The soils and their drainage 18
3.1.2.2 Soil characteristics 19
v
3.1.3 Land suitability classification
3.1.4 Climate
3.1.4.1 Rainfall
3.1.4.2 Temperature
3.1.4.3 Relative humidity
3.1.4.4 Sunshine and incoming radiation
3.1.4.5 Wind
3.1.4.6 Dry season water deficits
3.1.5 Hydrology
1.5.1 Drainage pattern
1.5.2 Estimation of runoff from rainfall
1.5.3 Minimum dry season flow and domestic and industrial
water supplies
1.5.4 Flood estimation from maximum rainfall data
1.5.5 Drainage requirement and strategy
3.1.6 Vegetation
20
27
27
27
27
27
28
28
31
31

32
32
34
36
43
3.2 Agroeconomic and social features
3.2.1 Agriculture and other rural activities
3.2.1.1 Crops and farming practices
3.2.1.2 Livestock
3.2.1.3 Income
3.2.1.4 Hunting
3.2.1.5 Forestry
3.2.1.6 Fishing
3.2.2 Land tenure
3.2.3 Population and employment
3.3 Infrastructure and services
3.3.1 Roads and transport
3.3.2 Marketing
3.3.3 Social and other services
44
44
44
44
45
45
45
45
45
46
47

48
48
48
PART 4 MARKET PROSPECTS FOR OIL PALM PRODUCTS AND RUBBER
51
4.1 Oil palm products
4.2
4.1.1
The market for fats and oils
4.1.2
Palm oil
4.1.3
Palm kernels
4.1.4
Palm kernel oil
4.1.5 Palm kernel meal
Rubbe r
4.2.1 Demand
4.2.2
Production
4.2.3
Prices
51
51
52
52
52
52
55
55

55
55
PART 5 PROPOSALS FOR DEVELOPMENT
57
5.1 Introduction
5.1.1 Objectives
5.1.2 Methods of site selection
5.2 Allocation of land for development in the Boa Plain
5.2.1 Elimination of unsuitable land
5.2.2 Designation of land for estate development and settlement
reserves
5.2.2.1 The settlement reserves
5.2.2.2 Land for camps and gardens
5.2.2.3. Forestry and roads
57
57
57
58
58
61
61
62
63
VI
5.3 Proposals: forest utilisation 63
5.3.1 The inventory of timber resources 63
5.3.1.1 Method 63
5.3.1.2 Results 63
5.3.2 Exploitation options 66
5.3.3 Marketing 68

5.3.4 Revenue estimates 68
5.3.5 Conclusions 69
5.4 Proposals: estate oil palm 69
5.4.1.
Introduction 69
5.4.2 Organisation, management and staff 71
5.4.3 Roads and drains 71
5.4.4 Buildings and services 72
5.4.5 Vehicles and heavy equipment 73
5.4.6 Seed and nurseries 74
5.4.7 Land clearing 74
5.4.8 Field maintenance 75
5.4.9 Production, harvesting and processing 75
5.4.10 Sales 78
5.4.11 Operating account 78
5.4.12 Financial cash flow 79
5.4.13 Total costs and rates of return 79
5.4.14 Economic cash flow and rates of return 80
5.5 Proposals: estate rubber 81
5.5.1 Introduction 81
5.5.2 Organisation, management and staff 81
5.5.3 Roads and drains 82
5.5.4 Buildings and services 82
5.5.5 Vehicles and heavy equipment 82
5.5.6 Planting materials and nurseries 83
5.5.7 Land clearing and planting 83
5.5.8 Field maintenance 83
5.5.9 Production and processing 84
5.5.10 Sales 85
5.5.11 Operating account 85

5.5.12 Financial cash flow 85
5.5.13 Total costs and rates of return 86
5.5.14 Economic cash flow and rates of return 86
5.6. Proposals: smallholder oil palm development scheme 87
5.6.1 Introduction 87
5.6.2 Conditions for smallholder participation 87
5.6.3 Development 89
5.6.4 Production 89
5.6.5 Inputs and benefits 90
5.6.6 Loan requirements and financing 90
5.6.7 Economic and financial cash flows and rates of return 91
5.7 Consolidated estate project costs and returns: oil palm and rubber 91
5.7.1 Consolidated project cost estimates 91
5.7.2 Finance 92
5.7.3 Prices 92
5.7.4 Inflation 92
5.7.5 Rates of return 92
5.8 Consolidated project costs and returns, including smallholders g2
5.9 Conclusion 93
PART 6 REFERENCES 95
VII
VOLUME 2
APPENDIXES
1.
Soils: methods, profiles, classification, mapping units
2.
Climatic records and proposed estate drainage
3. Estimate of commodity prices and costs of inputs
4.
Estate oil palm: costs, labour requirements and yields

5. Estate rubber: costs and labour requirements
6. Smallholder oil palm: yields, costs and returns
7. Financial tables
8. Economic tables
LIST OF MICROFICHE DOCUMENTS
Microfiche of the following documents are inserted inside the rear cover of Volume 2.
All three were issued as Appendixes in Wyrley-Birch et al. (1981).
1.
An inventory of the forest resources of the Boa Plains. Report prepared by
N.P.Woods (1980).
2.
Road construction proposals and costs. Report by D. M. Brooks and J. W. F.
Dowling.
Transport and Road Research Laboratory, (1980).
3. Infrastructure quantities and costs: roads and bridges, drainage works, river
improvements and water supplies. Appendix 6, Section II, in Wyrley-Birch et al.
(1981).
LIST OF FIGURES
3.1 Relationship between rainfall and runoff at selected stations in Cameroon 33
3.2 Depth/duration frequency curves for rainfall on the Boa Plain 37
LIST OF TEXT MAPS
1.1 Location of Camdev III soil and land suitability survey area 3
1.2 Block A (including Camdev II development areas) 7
3.1 Land drainage subdivisions of the Boa Plain development area 21
3.2 Mean annual rainfall 29
3.3 Forest types of the Boa Plain development area 41
5*.
1
Proposed layout of estates and settlement reserves 59
viii

LIST OF SEPARATE MAPS (inside rear cover of Volume 1)
1.
Soil associations and land suitability
2.
Proposed drainage
3. Forest resources
ix
Abstract and keywords
ABSTRACT
At the request of the Government of the United Republic of Cameroon the Land
Resources Development Centre of the UK Overseas Development Administration was
appointed to do a preparatory study for the Cameroon Development Corporation
Camdev III development programme. The project included soil and land suitability
studies for large-scale estate development of two blocks of land and a feasibility study
of land which was found to be suitable. One block, covering 600 km
2
, was rejected
because the land was either already farmed or topographically unsuitable. In the other
block, only the flat, sparsely populated 177 km
2
Boa coastal plain north-west of
Cameroon Mountain provided sufficient unoccupied land for a feasibility study. This
area is subject to a heavy annual rainfall of up to 6 500 mm, mainly falling in 6 months
from May to October. The plan proposed includes the establishment, over a period of
8 years, of 1 000 ha of rubber as an extension to an existing rubber estate, 9 000 ha of
oil palm in three 3 000 ha estates, and 1 000 ha of smallholder oil palm, at a total cost*
of CFAF 31 497 million (USS 146.5 million) for the estate development and CFAF
692 million (USS 3.2 million) for the smallholder development. In view of the high
rainfall,
flatness of the land and numerous rivers, the provision of adequate drainage

will be crucial to the success of the estate development; appropriate drainage plans are
described in the report. In addition to details of the proposals, the report contains a
discussion of market prospects for rubber and oil palm and financial and economic
analyses of the proposed developments. The estimated financial and economic percen-
tage rates of return, in constant 1980 terms, are respectively: 7.88 and 14.17 for estate
rubber; 9.49 and 13.19 for estate oil palm; 18.15 and 20.16 for smallholder oil palm;
and 8.63 and 13.68 for the total project.
KEYWORDS
Environment, land capability, soil survey, agricultural development, planning, planta-
tion agriculture, smallholding, surface drainage, oil palm, coconuts, rubber, economics,
finance, cost, cost benefit analysis, profitability, marketing, Cameroon.
* In current terms i.e. with provision for future inflation. In the report, costs are also indicated in constant 1980
terms.
xi
Summary
INTRODUCTION
At the request of the Government of the United Republic of Cameroon, the Land
Resources Development Centre of the UK Overseas Development Administration was
appointed to do a preparatory study for the Cameroon Development Corporation's
Camdev III development programme. It was to include first a soil and land suitability
appraisal (Phase I) and second
—
if suitable land for coconut, oil palm and rubber could
be found
—
a project feasibility study (Phase II) for the establishment of these crops on
estates and smallholdings. The first report to the Cameroon Development Corporation
(Wyrley-Birch et al., 1981) described the results of the investigations and made detailed
proposals for developments over a period of 8 years. The present Land Resource Study,
published with the permission of the General Manager of the Cameroon Development

Corporation (CAMDEV), is intended for a wider readership in Cameroon and elsewhere.
Parts of the original text have been condensed while others have been amended to
clarify the procedures used in determining land suitability and in planning profitable
developments. In addition all maps have been improved.
NATIONAL SETTING
Cameroon has an area of about 470 000 km
2
and in 1976 a population of 7.66 million
with 602 515 in S W Province. There are extensive areas of tropical forest, deposits of
oil (now being exploited), natural gas, bauxite and iron ore as well as smaller amounts
of other minerals and a considerable potential for hydro-electricity production —
already used for processing alumina from Guinea.
Population density varies from 3.4 persons per km
2
in East Province to 74.5 in West
Province, with 24.9 in S W Province. Forty-three per cent of the population is under
15 years old.
With Littoral Province, South-West Province receives the largest number of immigrants,
equalling 30% of the natural increase in the population. The immigrants originate
mainly from North-West Province and the border zones. Only in South-West Province
are the increases in urban and rural populations the same, emphasising the greater need
there for the provision of social facilities in the rural areas.
Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for 75% of the
population and accounting for 30% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and over
60%
of the value of exports. Smallholder agriculture accounts for over 90% of the
agricultural output with plantation agriculture accounting for only 10%. Smallholder
crops including cocoa, coffee, cotton, tobacco and groundnuts are important exports.
Together, cocoa and coffee account for about 45% of total agricultural exports while
rubber, palm oil and palm kernels provide only 4.5%.

xiii
I
Cameroon is almost self-sufficient in foodstuffs; production has expanded at 5% per
annum in the last 5 years. Oil palm, rubber, bananas and tea are the main plantation
crops.
The Cameroon Government's fourth five-year plan 1976-1981 provides for an expendi-
ture of CFAF 725 million and growth in GDP of 5-6%. In this plan a high priority is
given to rural development to raise the living standards of the rural population and
make Cameroon self-sufficient in foodstuffs. Poorly developed rural infrastructure and
a lack of incentives for young people to remain in the rural areas are mentioned as
problems, among many others.
One of the objectives to be achieved was the creation and extension of large modern
plantations and agro-industrial complexes, with the aim of adding value to local
products.
THE CAMDEV I, II AND III PROJECTS
The overall objectives of the Camdev I project (1967-1975) were to increase CAMDEV's
production and efficiency and strengthen its financial structure.
The Camdev
11
and
111
projects constitute a second development phase, the object of
which was to double CAMDEV's existing planted area of 30 000 ha over a period of 10
years.
The Camdev III development proposed in the present report would occupy 11 000 ha
in the Boa Plain.
For Camdev 11 the period of completion remains 5 years, but it is proposed that
Camdev III should be completed over 8 years in order to ease the burden on CAMDEV's
management, technical and manpower resources.
CAMDEV III: SELECTION OF DEVELOPMENT AREA

Two large blocks of land were appraised for suitability for the development of planta-
tion crops: Block A, north-west of Cameroon Mountain, including some areas of its
foothills; Block B, extending eastward from the Douala-Mbanga road at Kompina
toward the Wouri and Dibombe rivers (see Text Maps 1.1, 1.2 and 3.1). Block B was
rejected because most of the area was topographically unsuitable. Several areas in
Block A were also rejected because they were already settled or topographically unsuit-
able.
In Block A, only the Boa Plain north-west of Cameroon Mountain was found to
be suitable for large-scale estate development.
CAMDEV III: THE BOA PLAIN ENVIRONMENT
The proposed Camdev III developments are in the Boa Plain which occupies 177 km
2
in the Bamusso Sub-division of Ndian Division of South West Province. It is a flat
crescent-shaped coastal plain north-west of Cameroon Mountain. To the west are
mangrove swamps, to the east mainly the hills of the Mokoko River Forest Reserve. In
the north the Meme River is the boundary and the crescent narrows to a point in the
south near the village of Njangassa. There is a general downward slope of about 0.5%
toward the mangrove swamps in the west. It is estimated that 90% of the plain is
forested.
The plain is sparsely populated (2 861 in 1976). Communications and services are poor
to non-existent. From the Mbonge Rubber Estate
—
Mokoko Estate road at Barombe
Mokoko there is at present a poorly maintained dry-season track into the area, extend-
ing as far as Boa Native (Boa Balondo) village. There are densely populated (16 517 in
1976) coastal fishing villages mainly on sand bars separated from the plain by the
XIV
mangrove swamps, so that the only contact is by boat. On the plain the population is
mainly Cameroonian, while in the fishing villages it is mainly Nigerian.
The young alluvial soils show little profile development although they are sometimes

stratified.
With the exception of about 800 ha of sand to loamy sand soils in one area,
textures vary from sandy loam to uniform clay, with the finer textures tending to
occur toward the mangrove and in the flood-prone area between the Meme and
Mokoko Rivers. Although there is evidence of flooding and seasonal waterlogging from
several other rivers that traverse the plain, these soils rarely show evidence of strongly
reducing conditions within 1.5 m of the surface. The soils are medium to strongly acid
with a poor to moderate nutrient status.
Rainfall,
concentrated in a wet season from May to October, varies from about
3 000 mm in the north to about 6 500 mm at the southern end of the plain. The driest
months are December to February, with rainfalls of less than 100 mm. Winds are
probably light to variable for most of the year, becoming moderate and very occasion-
ally strong in January to April.
Drainage will be of crucial importance to the success of the development proposals for
the Boa Plain. Flooding is caused by a combination of heavy local rainfall and overflow
from the rivers that flow across the plain. A separate drainage strategy is needed for the
northern sector between the two largest rivers, the Meme and Mokoko, where floods,
particularly from the former, are much larger and last longer than elsewhere. In this
sector a number of major drains leading west, by the most direct route to the sea, will
be required
—
with some remodelling of the Mokoko River. The present levee along the
Meme is wrongly constructed and is frequently breached and overtopped by floods.
Rather than construct a new levee to overcome these problems, it would be better to
lead the overspill off through the estate drainage systems to the major drains. Else-
where on the plain where river catchments and flood volumes are much smaller, the
major rivers should continue to remove the runoff from the hill catchments, while
excess rainfall on the plain will be removed by separate systems of estate drains.
Subsistence agriculture to produce cassava, plantains, cocoyams, yams, maize, ground-

nuts,
etc, mainly for home consumption, is the main activity on the plain. Small
quantities of cocoa (for sale) and coffee (mainly for home consumption) are produced.
There are smallholder cooperative associations at lloani and Mbongo villages which pro-
duce palm oil, from two small Stork mills of 5t FFB per day capacity. The oil is sold
on the local market through the Catholic Mission at Mbonge. Members earn about
110 000 CFAF a year from palm oil. About 30 ha of plantation are maintained at each
village. Because of logistic difficulties, timber is not an important source of income but
is used in building, construction and furniture-making.
The fishing villages sell and barter fish for small quantities of garri (made from cassava)
and other food crops from the Boa Plain producers. Almost 80% of the fish caught are
exported to Nigeria.
The future CAMDEV estates will have to rely on imported workers for their operation,
as the local population is small and have a preference for working on their own farms.
Fishing is also more lucrative than estate work. To attract and retain workers, housing,
education and health facilities, and transport and food supply arrangements must be of
a high standard.
CAMDEV
III:
DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS
The proposals are primarily concerned with estate and smallholder developments in the
Boa Plain, but there will also be an opportunity to take advantage of the considerable
potential for large-scale timber exploitation in the project area. A larger proportion of
the forest species are suitable for the local rather than the export market. Estimates of
the value of the timber vary from CFAF 616 million to 15 674 million, depending on
the choice among several exploitation options, varying from light to intensive. Exploita-
tion of the forest by CAMDEV is recommended, but a detailed marketing study would
xv
first be required since the level of exploitation would depend on several marketing
factors. Timber exploitation would delay the initiation of the Camdev III plantation

development but could provide an immediate and large cash income.
It is proposed that the Camdev III tree-crop development should include the establish-
ment of 1 000 ha net of rubber at Mokoko as an extension of Mbonge Rubber Estate,
9 000 ha net of oil palm in three 3 000 ha estates and 1 000 ha of oil palm small-
holdings, over a period of 8 years at a total cost in current terms of CFAF 31 497
mi/lion for estate development and CFAF 629 mil/ion for smallholder development.
Coconuts were excluded from the proposals because of lower-than-expected yields
from Ivory Coast hybrids, the danger from diseases of the lethal yellowing type, the
labour-intensiveness of the dehusking process, and the still early state of development
of mechanised processing. Nevertheless, it is recommended that CAMDEV's coconut
seed garden and trial plots should be retained and recorded in order to preserve the
coconut option for future development and replanting programmes.
The proposed allocation of land for estate development on the Boa Plains in CAMDEV
III is shown below.
Estate
Gross area
ha
Net planted area
ha
Oil palm
Boa South
Boa Central
Boa North
3 325
3 515
3 737
2 922
3 089
3 286
Total 10 577

9 297
Rubber 1 154
1 026
Total
11 731
10 323
In addition 2 500 ha have been allocated to settlement reserves (existing villages).
Allocation is in the proportion that the village populations bear to the total 1976
population of the Boa Plain, with the exception that settlers on CAMDEV—owned land
have had land reserved for them in an area between the reservations for the Boa Native
(Boa Balondo) and Mbongo villages.
Surrounding the sites for labourer's camps, each household has been allocated 1 250 m
2
of land for a chop (food) garden. With this increased space, compared with previous
schemes, the camps can be laid out as villages so that the food gardens will be closer to
the workers' houses and therefore likely to be more productive than in the past.
Oil palm
It is proposed that approximately 9 000 ha net of oil palm should be planted in three
3 000 ha estates. The planting programme will be:
ect year Ha
3
500
4
1 000
5
1 000
6
1 250
7
1 250

8
1 300
9
1 300
10
1 400
9 000
XVI
Planting has been delayed until the third year of the project to allow time for the
con-
struction of essential housing, roads and drains.
Roads and drains should be constructed to run side by side so that:
1.
Excavated drain material can be used to make embankments for the roads to
facilitate their drainage
2.
Space will be saved
3. The roads will be unshaded to allow rapid drying after rain
4.
The drains will be lightly shaded to encourage establishment of a grass sward,
so facilitating maintenance.
The hard surfacing material required for the roads can be extracted in the hilly area to
the east of the Boa Plain.
It is proposed that a project manager with a wide international experience of planta-
tion crop development be appointed to direct the operation and ensure that it func-
tions efficiently. He should be assisted by a field manager with a sound experience of
oil palm and rubber planting to ensure a high standard of crop establishment and early
maintenance. Estate managers would be appointed during the development phase to
gain experience. They would take over the estates when these are fully planted.
As the success of the Camdev III development will depend on effective drainage, it is

strongly recommended that a highly skilled and experienced agricultural land drainage
engineer be recruited for a term of 3-5 years, under a technical assistance agreement, to
design and supervise the excavation of the drainage system. He should have a properly
qualified CAMDEV Cameroonian counterpart as an understudy, to take over from him
at the end of his term.
CAMDEV's standard housing for staff and workers is recommended. However, it is
suggested that it may be possible to increase the size of the accommodation provided
for workers if timber obtained more cheaply from the Boa Plain is used for its
construction.
Electrification of workers' villages is strongly recommended. Water supplies from a
single surface source for the whole development including the oil palm mill and from
strategically sited groups of tube wells have been costed. An emergency system of suit-
ably capped shallow wells is provided near each estate workers' village.
CAMDEV has its own source of seed for improved planting material. As there is a dry
season of 3 months over most of the Boa Plain, the normal CAMDEV two-stage nursery
for the leeward side of Cameroon Mountain is recommended, ie seed set in a germinator
at the end of November, pre-nursery planting in April, main nursery planting in August
and field planting in mid-March. Blast disease is so well controlled that only 250 pre-
heated seeds need to be supplied to the germinator per hectare of field planting.
Land clearing is expected to be done mechanically, the technique being similar to that
at present used by CAMDEV for rubber. Trees are pushed over, raked into windrows
and burnt. On the Boa Plain an effective burn will be essential to facilitate drain
excavation. This may be difficult with the heavy rainfalls and short dry season. The
timing of the clearing operations will be important. Felling one dry season and
wind-
rowing and burning the next may help, as may the use of flame-throwing equipment
and fans to ignite the windrowed debris properly. Some pre-clearing drainage may also
be necessary.
CAMDEV's normal field maintenance and harvesting procedures are expected to be
suitable for the Boa Plain environment. The higher rainfalls, improved planting materials

XVII
and maintenance standards are expected to enable yields of 13-13.5 t/ha to be achieved
at maturity, declining from years 18-30 to 10 t/ha. Peak production is expected to be
reached between years 19 and 21 at about 120 0001 FFB, or about 25 300 t oil and
5 100t kernels.
CAMDEV's highest monthly productions, amounting to 16% of the annual production,
are used as the basis for calculating the processing requirement. In addition, for small-
holder production a requirement of over 50 t/hour will be necessary during the 7 years
of maximum production. A mill of two lines of three 10 t presses has therefore been
recommended. Construction is to be completed in 3 stages, in project years 6,
12/13 and 13/14. It is felt that the spare capacity is a useful safeguard against break-
down.
It is assumed that distribution to local markets will take place from the Boa Plain and
that exports will be via Bota and Cape Limboh.
Rubber
The approximately 1 000 ha proposed for rubber is adjacent to the present 800 ha
Camdev II development at Mokoko and both are extensions of an existing
1 200 ha estate: it is intended to divide the joint plantations into two 1 500 ha
estates. The planting programme is for 200 ha a year. The development phase will
come under the project and field managers. The road and drain system will be similar
'to that for oil palms except that the maximum carrying distance will be extended to
250 m.
Mechanical land clearing will start in 1983/4: it will be similar to that for oil palm
except that, as a precaution against root disease infection, rippers will be used to
remove as many as possible of the roots remaining in the soil after windrowing. Clean
conditions to facilitate drain excavation will still be necessary.
Housing,
water and electricity supplies will be of the same standard as those for oil
palm estates.
The standard CAMDEV system for nurseries, planting and maintenance will be used.

As with oil palm, planting is delayed to project year 3. Recommended clones are
PB 235,260,310 and 311 on GT1 root stocks. Special provision will need to be made
for keeping nurseries well drained since wet-season flooding is always a possibility.
Yields of dry rubber, in kg/ha, are expected to be:
Project year 9 10 11 12 13 14 15-19 20-23 24-30
Yield 500 900 1 200 1 400 1 600 1 800 2 000 1 900 1 700
Total production from the 1 000 ha planted is expected to rise to 1 920—2 000 t from
years 18 to 24 and fall to 1 700 t by year 30. Processing will be at a new factory on a
neighbouring estate which will be constructed with sufficient capacity for this purpose.
The present system of marketing the rubber through a central rubber factory is expected
to continue.
Smallholders
With some managerial improvements, the present Camdev II Smallholders' Develop-
ment Scheme is expected to be continued for the development of the 1 000 ha of oil
palm smallholdings proposed for Camdev III. The programme of development is 125 ha
a year
xviii
MARKET PROSPECTS
Oil palm
The market prospects for palm oil are closely related to the world market for all oils
and fats. The demand for food fats and oils is expected to increase at an average annual
rate of 2.7%, ranging from 1.6% in developed to 4% in developing countries. Since
1970,
production has increased annually by an average of 4.2%, with palm oil produc-
tion growing at an average of 13% up to 1977 and expected to grow by 7% per annum
from 1977 to 1985.
At present palm oil represents about 10% of the world's production of fats and oils,
but it is expected to increase to 15% by about 1985. Western Europe is the largest
importer of palm oil but its share of world imports fell from 65% in 1965 to 38% in
1975.

Other important consumers are North America,
Iraq,
Japan and India. Per caput
consumption of fats and oils is related to income and varies from less than 5 kg/annum
(10 kg in Cameroon) in developing countries to a near saturation level of 25-30 kg in
developed countries. The developing countries are therefore a large potential market
for palm oil exports. Prices are expected to rise in the early 1980s but to stabilise
toward the end of the decade.
Palm oil production in Cameroon is expected to rise by about 6% per annum from
1980 to 1985 to 138 000 t and consumption by 4.5% per annum over the same period
to 106 000 t, leaving 32 000 t available for export. By 1985 CAMDEV should be
producing about 26 000 t. Future consumption in Cameroon is expected to grow at
about 4.5% per annum and given the present per caput consumption of about 10 kg
per annum, this growth must continue well into the future before the saturation level
of about 30 kg is reached. This suggests that Cameroon could almost increase palm oil
production for the domestic market only
—
if the distribution network is satisfactory
—
without considering exports.
Rubber
World demand for all rubbers is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 5.1%
from 1980 to 1990, ranging from
4.1%
in developed countries to 8.0% in developing
countries. The supply of natural rubber is expected to increase at 3.5% per annum so
that its share of the world market will decline from 30% to 26%. The market outlook
for natural rubber therefore appears to be good with an upward pressure on the price
which is expected to reach US cents 320/kg by 1990.
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

The Camdev
111
estate project comprises the planting of 9 000 hectares of oil palm and
1 000 hectares of rubber over the period 1986 to 1993, with installation of appropriate
equipment including an oil
mill.
The total estate project investment costs from 1986 to 1998, when all areas of oil palm
and rubber are in bearing, are estimated as follows:
xix
Oil palm
Development costs
—
direct
—
general charges
Buildings and ancillary services
Equipment and furniture
Vehicles and heavy equipment
Oil mill
Working capital
Operating deficits
Rubber
Development costs
—
direct
—
general charges
Buildings and ancillary services
Equipment and furniture
Vehicles and heavy equipment

Working capital
Operating deficits
Total cost, oil palm and rubber in constant 1980 terms
Contingencies*
Inflation adjustmentt
Total cost in current terms
Less revenue from timber sales
Total net investment cost in current terms**
Financing these investment costs presents problems in that self-generated funds in
Camdev
111
totalling CFÄF 5 583 million do not become available until the last few
years of the investment programme. Over the period 1986 to 1990, any self-generated
funds from CAMDEV's ongoing operations will be required for financing its own
capital renewal programmes and for the completion of Camdev II. It is proposed there-
fore that the Camdev III investments be financed as follows:
CFAF millions
CFAF millions
4 923.24
1 838.32
1 999.81
447.48
1 038.46
2 352.00
600.00
110.93
13 310.24
612.46
411.29
319.89

121.97
234.98
100.00
169.04
1 969.63
15 279.87
1 499.35
16 779.22
15 555.69
32 334.90
838.00
31 496.91
External loans 1986 to 1990 16 028
Self-generated funds, CAMDEV's ongoing
operations 1991 to 1992 8 969
Self-generated funds, Camdev 111,1992 to 1996 6 500
31 497
External loans with interest at 8% per annum would be required for 13 years and
would involve a moratorium of 5 years on payment of interest and 6 years on repay-
ment of principal. Interest during the moratorium would be financed and capitalised
raising the total amount of loans to CFAF 20 210 million. To enable loans to be
serviced from 1991, it is estimated that CAMDEV's ongoing operations would have to
supply a total of CFAF 35 300 million to Camdev III from self-generated funds.
Contingencies at 10% have been added to all costs except specific items which are more appropriately related
to commodity prices
Provision for inflation in costs has been made on the assumption that annual inflation will be 10% in 1981,
8% in 1982 and 6% from 1983 onwards. All rates are compounded.
It is estimated that the foreign exchange component in the total net investment cost is about 38%, equivalent
to USS 55.450 million at an exchange rate of CFAF 215 = US $1
XX

Prices for palm oil, palm kernels and rubber for export have been based on the trends
shown in the forecasts by the World Bank dated January 1980 for the period 1980 to
1990,
and extrapolated to 2010 in line with the mean trend of the 1980-1990 period.
Local prices of palm oil in current terms reflect the estimated trend of future inflation.
Inflation has been estimated at 10% in 1981, 8% in 1982 and 6% from 1983 onwards.
Internal rates of return based on the project assumptions are:
Constant „
-
nort
+
Current terms
1980 terms
Oil palms 7.88 13.57
Rubber 9.49 17.05
The rates of return are fully tested for sensitivity to variations in prices, costs and
yields.
Total cost of establishing 1 000 hectares of smallholder oil palms is estimated at CFAF
691.55 million, including crop credits, cash grants and extension management. Total
smallholders' loans'for inputs supplied on credit is CFAF 253.13 million. The internal
rates of return for smallholders is 18.36% in constant 1980 terms and
23.71%
in
current terms. Estimated annual net income per ha ranges from CFAF 40 000 in the
4th year from planting, to CFAF 205 000 in the 6th year and reaches a level óf CFAF
240 000 from the 8th year onwards.
It has been assumed that the present arrangement and terms applicable to Camdev II
smallholders will apply also to Camdev
111
smallholders.

SOCIAL COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
For estate workers and smallholders, shadow wage rates of CFAF 275 and 377 per
manday respectively were used.
Base prices in CFAF per tonne were:
Estate palm oil export
106 971
Estate palm oil local
160 000
Estate palm kernels
70 059
Estate rubber
337 127
Smallholder FFB 22 336
Economic rates of return at constant 1980 terms were:
Base
IRR
IRR
+ 10%
costs
IRR
-10%
benefits
Estate rubber
13.19
12.07
10.85
Estate oil palm
14.17
11.03 10.98
Smallholders' oil palm

20.16
16.37
16.40
Total project
13.68
XXI
For a smallholder the income per hectare for the year specified could be:
Crop
year
Project
year
CFAF
US 8
4
7 40 252
187
9 12
194 300
904
14 17
251 408 1 169
19 22
247 595
1 152
24
27
254 166
1 182
This compares with an estate wage level CFAF 240 000 (US 81 116) per annum for a
skilled worker and CFAF 180 000 (US 8 837) for an unskilled worker. It should be

remembered that only about 50 mandaysAia are required to achieve the income level
shown for the smallholder.
The project will provide employment for about 3 000 estate staff and workers and
increased income for a maximum of 1 000 smallholders and their families. The
multiplier effect of the transfer of a proportion of workers' incomes to homelands will
operate.
The main social benefit to the community will be an all-weather road system to
con-
nect it to local markets and services at Mbonge and further afield. Medical and educa-
tional facilities and general living standards will be improved.
xxii
Resume et mots clefs
RESUME
A la demande du Gouvernement de la République Federale du Cameroun, le Centre de
Développement des Ressources de la Terre (l'un des organismes scientifiques de
l'Administration Britannique de Développement Outre-mer) s'est vu confier la realisa-
tion d'une étude preliminaire relative au programme de développement de la Corpora-
tion pour le Développement du Cameroun, Camdev III. Le projet comportait des
études sur l'aptitude de sols et terrains è l'aménagement de deux grands bloes de terre
en vue de constituer des plantations, ainsi qu'une étude de faisabilité portant sur les
terres jugées appropriées. L'un des bloes, d'une superficie de 600 km
2
, n'a pas été
retenu,
la terre étant déja cultivée ou ne convenant pas sur le plan topographique.
Quant è
l'autre
bloc, seule la plaine littorale du Boa faiblement peuplée et couvrant
une superficie de 177 km
2

, au nordouest du Mont Cameroun, offrait suffisamment de
terres inoccupées pour justifier une étude de faisabilité. Dans cette region, les precipita-
tions annuelles sont élevées et peuvent atteindre 6 500 mm, la plupart ayant lieu en
I'espacede6 mois, a savoir de mai a octobre. Le plan propose comprend l'implantation,
au cours d'une période de 8 ans, de 1 000 ha d'hévéa qui doivent être annexes a un
domaine déja existant, 9 000 ha de palmiers a huile répartis sur trois domaines de
3 000 ha chacun, et 1 000 ha de palmiers è huile en forme de petites exploitations,
dont le coüt* total se monterait è FCFA 31 497 millions (US$ 146,5 millions) pour le
développement des plantations, et FCFA 692 millions (USS 3,2 millions) pour les
petites exploitations. En raison de l'importance des precipitations, de la planéité des
terres et de l'existence de nombreuses rivières, il sera essentiel de prévoir un Systeme
de drainage adéquat pour assurer le succes du projet de développement; des systèmes
de drainage appropriés sont décrits dans le rapport. En plus d'une description détaillée
des propositions, le rapport traite des debouches éventuels pour les produits des hévéas
et des palmiers a huile et présente des analyses financières et économiques des
aménagements proposes. Les taux de rendement financiers et économiques estimés, en
termes constants fonction de l'année 1980, et exprimés en pourcentage, sont, respecti-
vement: 7,88 et 14,17 pour les plantations de caoutchouc; 9,49 et 13,19 pour les
plantations productrices d'huile de palmier; 18,15 et 20,16 pour les petites exploita-
tions de palmiers a huile, et 8,73 et 13,68 pour le projet dans son ensemble.
MOTS CLEFS
Environnement, vocation des terres, relevé pédologique, aménagement agricole, planifi-
cation,
.plantations, petites exploitations, assainissement, palmier è huile, hévéa,
cocotier, économie, financement, coüts, analyse coüt-profit, rentabilité, commer-
cialisation,
Cameroun.
* En termes actuels, e'est a dire avec prevision pour l'inflation future. Dans le rapport, on indique aussi les coüts en
termes constants 1980.
xxiii

Sommaire
INTRODUCTION
A la demande du Gouvernement de la République Federale du Cameroun, Ie Centre
pour la Mise en Valeur des Ressources Terrestres de I'Administration Britannique pour
le Développement des Pays d'Outre-mer s'est vu confier la realisation d'une étude pré-
liminaire relative au programme de développement de la Corporation pour Ie Développe-
ment du Cameroun, Camdev IM. Cette étude devait comprendre, en premier
lieu,
une
evaluation de l'aptitude des sols et terrains (Phase I) et, en second
lieu,
si eile devait
révéler l'existence de terrains convenant aux cultures de cocotiers, de palmiers a huile
et d'hévéa, une étude de faisabilité (Phase II) relative a I'établissement de ces cultures
dans des plantations et des petites exploitations. Le premier rapport soumis au Corpor-
ation pour le Développement du Cameroun (Wyrley-Birch et al., 1981) a décrit les
résultats des recherches et a présenté des propositions détaillées relatives è un
programme de développement portant sur huit ans. Le présent Land Resource Study,
publié avec la permission du Directeur General de la Corporation pour le Développe-
ment du Cameroun (CAMDEV), est destine a être lu par un public plus nombreux, au
Cameroun et ailleurs. Certaines parties du texte original ont été raccourcies. Autres
parties ont été modifiées dans le but de clarifier les methodes employees pour deter-
miner la vocation des terres et pour planifier des développements rentables. De plus,
toutes les cartes ont été améliorées.
CONTEXTE NATIONAL
Le Cameroun couvre une superficie d'environ 470 000 km
2
et comptait, en 1976, une
population de 7,66 millions de personnes, dont 602 515 dans la Province du sud ouest.
II existe de grandes étendues de forêts tropicales, des gisements d'huile (en cours

d'exploitation), du gaz naturel, de la bauxite et du minerai de fer, ainsi que d'autres
mineraux en quantites moins importantes; il existe egalement un potentiel considerable
dans le domaine de la production d'énergie hydro-électrique
—
déja exploité pour le
traitement d'alumine en provenance de la Guinee.
La densité de la population varie entre 3,4 habitants par km
2
dans la Province de
l'est,
et 74,5 dans la Province de l'ouest; eile est de 24,9 habitants dans la Province du sud
ouest. Quarante-trois pour cent de la population est agée de moins de 15 ans.
C'est
la Province du sud ouest, de pair avec la Province littorale, qui recoit le plus grand
nombre d'immigrants, lesquels représentent 30% de la croissance naturelle de la
population. Les immigrants, pour la plupart, sont originaires de la Province du nord
ouest et des zones frontalières. Ce
n'est
que dans la Province du sud ouest que les
populations urbaines et rurales augmentent a la même cadence; c'est done la que la
prevision d'infrastructures sociales dans les regions rurales se révèle la plus urgente.
L'agriculture constitue la base principale de l'économie; eile fait vivre 75% de la
population et représente 30% du Produit National Brut (PNB) et plus de 60% de la
valeur des exportations. Les petites exploitations agricoles représentent plus de 90% du
xxv
rendement agricole tandis que l'agrioulture des plantations n'en représente que 10%.
Les cultures des petits exploitants, parmi lesquelles Ie cacao, Ie café, Ie coton, Ie tabac
et les arachides, sont exportées en grandes quantités. Ensemble, Ie cacao et Ie café
représentent environ 45% des exportations globales de produits agricoles, tandis que Ie
caoutchouc,

l'huile
de palmier et les coeurs de palmier n'en représentent que 4,5%.
En ce qui concerne les produits alimentaires, Ie Cameroun est presque autonome; la
production a augmenté de 5% par an au cours des cinq dernières années. Les cultures
principales
des
plantations sont les palmiers è l'huile, l'hévéa, les bananiers et les théiers.
Le quatrième plan quinquennal 1976-1981 du gouvernement camerounais prévoit une
dépense de FCFA 725 millions et une augmentation du PNB de 5-6%. Ce plan accorde
une grande priorité è l'aménagement rural, ceci afin d'augmenter le niveau de vie de la
population rurale et d'assurer l'autonomie du Cameroun du point de vue des produits
alimentaires. Parmi les nombreux problèmes qui se posent, la médiocrité du développe-
ment des infrastructures rurales y est mentionnée, ainsi que l'absence de facteurs
susceptibles d'encourager les jeunes è rester dans les regions rurales.
L'un des objectifs è atteindre était la creation et l'extension de grandes plantations
modernes et de complexes agro-industriels, dans le but de rehausser la valeur des
produits locaux.
LES PROJETS CAMDEV I, II et ill
Le projet Camdev I (1967-1975) visait principalement è augmenter la production et
l'efficacité du CAMDEV et renforcer
sa
structure financière.
Les projets Camdev
11
et
111
constituent une seconde phase de développement dont
l'objectif était de doubler en l'espace de 10 ans la superficie de 30 000 ha dé ja mis en
culture par CAMDEV.
Le projet de développement Camdev

111
propose dans Ie présent rapport viserait
11 000 ha dans la plaine du Boa.
Tandis qu'il est toujours prévu de réaliser le plan Camdev II en l'espace de 5 ans, il est
propose d'étaler le plan Camdev III sur 8 ans afin d'alléger les contraintes imposées aux
gestionnaires, aux techniciens et è la main-d'oeuvre dont dispose CAMDEV.
CAMDEV
III:
CHOIX DE LA ZONE DE DÉVELOPPEMENT
Deux grands bloes de ternes ont été évalués en vue de determiner s'ils convenaient è des
cultures de plantations: le Bloc A, au nord ouest du Mont Cameroun, y compris
certaines zones de
ses
contreforts; Le Bloc B, qui s'étend a
l'est
de la route Douala-
Mbanga a Kompina vers les rivières Wouri et Dibombe (cf. Texte, Cartes 1.1, 1.2 and
3.1). Le Bloc B n'a pas été retenu car la plupart de la region ne convenait pas du point
de vue topographique. Plusieurs zones du Bloc A
n'ont
pas été retenues non plus, soit
parce qu'elles étaient déja peuplées, soit parce que leur topographie ne convenait pas.
Dans le Bloc A, seule la plaine du Boa au nord ouest du Mont Cameroun s'est révélée
propice au développement de grandes plantations.
CAMDEV III: L'ENVIRONNEMENT DE LA PLAINE DU BOA
Les terres destinées è être mi ses en valeur dans le cadre du plan Camdev
111
sont situées
dans la Plaine du Boa qui occupe 177 km
2

de la Sous-Division Bamusso de la Division
Ndian de la Province sud ouest.
C'est
une plaine littorale en forme de croissant située
au nord ouest du Mont Cameroun. Elle est bordée è l'ouest par des mangroves, et, è
l'est,
principalement par les collines du Domaine Forestier de la rivière Mokoko. Au
nord,
la plaine est délimitée par la rivière Meme et, au sud, le croissant se rétrécit pour
former une pointe prés du village Njangassa. La plaine, dans son ensemble, est
xxvi
caractèrisêe par une déclivitê d'environ 0,5% en direction des mangroves, a l'ouest. On
estime que 90% de la plaine est couverte de forêts.
La plaine est faiblement peuplêe (2 861 habitants en 1976). Les moyens de communi-
cation et les services sont médiocres, sinon inexistants. II existe actuellement un chemin
mal entretenu et seulement practicable pendant la saison sèche, qui part de Barombe
Mokoko situé sur la route reliant la Plantation de Caoutchouc Mbonge è celle de
Mokoko, et qui mène jusqu'au village Boa Native (Boa Balondo). Sur la cote se trouvent
des villages de pêcheurs tres peuplés (16 517 habitants en 1976); ces villages sont
con-
st mits pour la plupart sur des bancs de sable coupes de la plaine par les mangroves, si bien
que Ie bateau constitue Ie seul moyen d'acces. La population de la plaine est, pour la
plupart, camerounaise, tandis que les villages de pêcheurs sont peuplés surtout par des
Nigériens.
Les terres alluviales d'äge récent ont un profil peu développé bien qu'elles soient strati-
fiées par endroits. A l'exception d'une zone d'environ 800 ha de sols dont la composi-
tion passe du sable au sable gras, la texture des sols est variable, allant du sable gras
jusqu'ä
I'argile
pure, les sols plus fins étant généralement situés vers les mangroves et

dans la zone fréquemment inondée entre les rivières Meme et Mokoko. Les recherches
tendent è démontrer que ces terres sont inondées et engorgées pendant la saison des
pluies par certaines autres rivières qui traversent la plaine; cependant, ces sols révèlent
rarement des traces de reduction marquee ä moins de 1,5 m sous la surface. L'acidité
des sols est de moyenne ä forte, les propriétés nutritives allant de médiocres ä moyennes.
Les precipitations, qui se produisent principalement de mai ä octobre pendant la saison
des pluies, varient entre 3 000 mm au nord et environ 6 500 mm è l'extrémité sud de la
plaine.
La période la plus sèche est comprise entre les mois de décembre et février, les
precipitations étant inférieures ä 100 mm. Pendant la plupart de l'année, les vents
varient en general entre légers et variables, pouvant devenir modérés et è de tres rares
occasions forts entre les mois de janvier et d'avril.
La mise en place d'un système de drainage sera essentielle è la réussite de projet de mise
en valeur de la Plaine du Boa. Les inondations sont Ie fait de fortes precipitations locales
alliées au débordement des rivières qui traversent la plaine. II faudra adopter une politique
de drainage particuliere pour Ie secteur nord situé entre les deux rivières les plus grandes,
les rivières Meme et Mokoko, étant donné que les inondations, surtout celles provoquées
par Ie débordement de la rivière Meme, sont bien plus importantes et durent plus
long-
temps qu'ailleurs. Dans ce secteur, il faudra installer un certain nombre de canalisations
importantes de drainage menant è la mer a l'ouest, par la route la plus directe et, par la
même occasion, remodeler dans une certaine mesure Ie cours de la rivière Mokoko. La
construction de la digue Ie long de la rivière Meme est mal concue; en effet, les crues
occasionnent fréquemment des brèches et des débordements. Plutot que de construire
une nouvelle digue pour résoudre ces problèmes, il serait preferable d'évacuer les eaux
excédentaires è travers les systèmes de drainage des plantations vers les canalisations
principales de drainage. Dans les autres parties de la plaine ou les bassins versants des
rivières et Ie volume des crues sont bien moins importants, les rivières principales
devraient continuer è évacuer les eaux de ruissellement en provenance des bassins ver-
sants des collines, tandis que les eaux de pluie excédentaires de la plaine seront évacuées

è
l'aide
de systèmes indépendants de canalisations de drainage des plantations.
L'agriculture de subsistance, è savoir la production de manioc, de bananes, d'ignames,
de mais, d'archides, etc, destinée principalement ä la consommation intérieure,
constitue l'activité principale de la plaine. De petites quantités de cacao (pour la vente)
et de café (essentiellement pour la consommation domestique) sont également pro-
duces. II existe, dans les villages lloani et Mbongo, des cooperatives de petits exploit-
ants qui produisent de
l'huile
de palmier è partir de deux petits moulins Stork d'une
capacité de 5 tonnes de fruits (FFB) par jour.
L'huile
est vendue au marché local par
l'intermédiaire de la Mission catholique de Mbonge. Les coopérateurs gagnent environ
110 000 FCFA par an grace è la vente de cette huile. Chaque village entretient une
plantation d'environ 30 ha. En raison de difficultés de logistique, Ie bois ne fournit
pas une source importante de revenus mais sert ä la construction de batiments et è la
fabrication de meubles.
xxvii
Les villages de pecheurs vendent du poisson ou le troquent contre de petites quantités
de garri (produit è partir du manioc) et autres aliments produits par les exploitants de la
Plaine du Boa. Presque 80% du produit de la pêche sont exportés vers le Nigeria.
Les futures plantations CAMDEV devront faire appel aux services d'une main-d'oeuvre
importée car la population locale est faible et les habitants preferent travailler sur leur
propre ferme. De plus, la pêche est mieux rémunérée que le travail sur les plantations.
Pour attirer et retenir les travailleurs, le logement, l'éducation, les installations sanitaires,
les services de transport et les systèmes d'approvisionnement alimentaire devront être
d'un niveau élevé.
CAMDEV III: DEVELOPPEMENT PROPOSE

Les propositions visent principalement le developpement de plantations et de petites
exploitations dans la Plaine du Boa, mais elles permettront égalernent de profiter des
possibilités de l'exploitation du bois è grande échelle dans la zone du projet. Les espèces
d'arbres conviennent pour la plupart au marché local plutot qu'è celui de l'exportation.
Les estimations de la valeundes ressources en bois varient entre FCFA 616 millions et
15 674 millions, selon le choix de la methode d'exploitation, qui peut aller du système
extensif au système intensif.
II est recommandé que CAMDEV exploite la forêt, mais il serait nécessaire d'effectuer
au préalable une étude détaillée du marché car le niveau d'exploitation serait fonction de
plusieurs facteurs ayant trait ä la commercialisation. L'exploitation des forêts retarderait
le demarrage du developpement des plantations dans le cadre de Camdev III, mais
pourrait assurer d'importants revenus financiers dans l'immédiat.
// est propose que le developpement de plantations dans le cadre de Camdev III comporte
la plantation de 1 000 ha nets d'hêvêa è Mokoko, qui viendraient
se
rajouter è la
Plantation d'hêvêa Mbonge, de 9 000 ha nets de palmiers è huile dans trois plantations de
3 000 ha chacune et de 1 000 ha de palmiers è huile sous forme de petites exploitations,
êchelonnêe sur une période de 8 ans, dont le coüt total en termes actuels
se
monterait
a FCFA 31 497 millions pour le developpement
des
plantations et FCFA 692 millions
pour les petites exploitations.
Les propositions ne prevoyaient pas de cultures de noix de coco en raison des rendements
inférieurs aux previsions des hybrides sur la Cote d'lvoire, des risques de maladies fatales
du type jaunissement, les frais de main d'oeuvre relatifs au décorticage, et du manque
d'installations de traitement mécanisé dont le developpement ne faisait que débuter.
Cependant, il est recommandé que CAMDEV continue a entretenir des pépinièresde

cocotiers et des parcelles d'essai et que les résultats obtenus soient enregistrés pour qu'il
soit possible de retenir l'option sur cette culture qui pourrait éventuellement s'inscrire
dans le cadre de programmes futurs de developpement et replantation.
Le tableau suivant représente l'attribution proposee de terres en vue du developpement de
plantations sur la plaine du Boa dans le cadre de CAMDEV III.
Plantation
Superficie brute
ha
Superficie nette
des cultures
ha
Palmiersä huile
Boa sud
Boa central
Boa nord
3 325
3515
3 737
2 922
3 089
3 286
Total
10 577 9 297
Hévéa
1 154
1 026
Total
11 731
10 323
xxviii

De plus, 2 500 ha ont été attribués aux villages existants. Les terres seront réparties
en fonction du rapport entre les populations des villages et la population totale de la
Plaine du Boa d'aprés Ie recensement de 1976, a l'exception du fait que des parcelles
ont été réservées è ceux qui se sont établis sur des terres qui sont la propriété de
CAMDEV, dans une zone située entre les terres réservées au village Boa Native (Boa
Balondo) et au village Mbongo.
Autour des sites des camps d'ouvriers, 1 250 m
2
de terrain ont été attribués a chaque
ménage pour servir de jardin potager. Grace a cette augmentation de superficie, par
rapport aux projets antérieurs, il sera possible d'aménager les camps sous forme de villa-
ges si bien que les jardins potagers seront plus proches des maisons des ouvriers et done
susceptibles de produire davantage que par Ie passé.
Palmiers ä huile
II est propose de planter environ 9 000 ha nets de palmiers a huile dans trois planta-
tions de 3 000 ha chacune. Le programme de plantation sera Ie suivant:
du pro/et
Ha
3
500
4 1 000
5
1 000
6 1 250
7 1 250
8
1 300
9
1 300
10 1 400

9 000
L'implantation des cultures a été retardée jusqu'a la troisiéme année du projet afin de
prévoir suffisamment de temps pour la construction des logements, des routes et des
systémes de drainage qui s'imposent'
Les routes et les canalisations de drainage devraient être construites cöte-a-cöte pour
les raisons suivantes:
1.
Les matériaux provenant des excavations effectuées pour la pose des drains
pourront servir a constituer des remblais pour les routes en vue de faciliter
leur drainage
2.
II sera ainsi possible d'économiser de l'espace.
3. Les routes ne seront pas ombragées en vue de permettre leur asséchement
rapide aprés les pluies
4.
Les drains seront légèrement ombragés de maniere è favoriser l'établissement
d'un gazon, ce qui facilitera leur entretien.
II sera possible d'extraire les matériaux durs nécessaires au revêtement des routes dans
la region vallonnée située a Test de la Plaine du Boa.
II est propose qu'un directeur de projet possédant une grande experience sur le plan
international dans le domaine du développement de cultures de plantations soit nommé
pour diriger les operations et en assurer Ie bon déroulement. II devrait être seconde par
un directeur sur le terrain possédant une solide experience de la plantation de palmiers
a huile et d'hévéa pour assurer que l'établissement des cultures et leur entretien dans
les premiers temps répondent è un haut degré d'excellence. Des directeurs de planta-
tions seraient nommés au cours de la phase de développement, ce qui leur permettra
d'acquérir de l'expérience. Ms prendraient en main les plantations lorsque toutes leurs
cultures seraient en place. Comme le succes du projet de développement Camdev III
xxix