@article{Amavi de fer Anougué Tialefack_Nobert Tohnain Lengha_Emile Temgoua_2022, title={Capitalization of Local Agricultural Knowledge in the Fight against Soil Degradation: Experiences with Farmers of Bapa and Bamendjo in West Cameroon}, volume={15}, url={https://ijnscfrtjournal.isrra.org/index.php/Natural_Sciences_Journal/article/view/1141}, abstractNote={<p>Given the degradation of soils observed mainly by the decline in fertility, the use of agricultural techniques and practices based on organic inputs appears to be a healthy alternative. This study focused on the capitalization of local agricultural knowledge in the fight against soil degradation. The objective was to show the importance of taking peasant knowledge into account in the process of popularizing sustainable agricultural practices to combat soil degradation. We have indeed conducted observations with farmers in the villages of Bamendjo in the Bamboutos and Bapa in the highlands of the West Cameroon region. The study focused on a sample of 419 producers, identified through contacts and to whom we submitted questionnaires to all and interviews to 37 of them. The other source of data was obtained from desk research. These data were analysed and tested using flat sorts, cross sorts and Pearson correlations. We carried out a descriptive analysis presenting the results of the collection in a rough way and we used the Pearson correlation to cross the variables and test their homogeneity. A third source of data was obtained from the results of laboratory analyses, comparing soil samples taken between 0-20cm, 20-40cm and 40-60cm in two fields (1) and (2) exploited with techniques and different cultivation practices, one conventionally (1) and the other organically (2). The main results enabled us to retain the various indicators that show the contribution of peasant knowledge to sustainable soil management. More than 65% of the producers met had to develop knowledge enabling them to better develop their agricultural activities while contributing to the preservation of the soil. The results of the soil analyses showed through the proportions of certain properties, in particular Ca, CEC including the heavy metal content that the farm (2) has a higher level of fertility than that of the farm (1).</p> <p>This proves that organic fertilizers increase the sustainability of soils over the long term. This study will focus more on traditional knowledge that seems better suited to local ecosystems. To this end, we recommend that the various public and private development actors set up agricultural extension programs and systems that take into account peasant knowledge.</p>}, number={1}, journal={International Journal of Natural Sciences: Current and Future Research Trends }, author={Amavi de fer Anougué Tialefack and Nobert Tohnain Lengha and Emile Temgoua}, year={2022}, month={Nov.}, pages={41–68} }