Cameroon Australia Alumni Association Excels with Small Grant to Boost Food and Nutrition for Women and Children

Dr. Nchinda Valentine, President of the Cameroon Australia Alumni Association (CAM3A), and his dedicated team have demonstrated remarkable success with their small grant project, exceeding expectations and setting a high standard for community-led initiatives. Their project, titled “Using Soybean-Based Meals for Food and Nutrition Security Improvement Among Women and Children in Cameroon,” is scheduled to conclude in November 2025 – but almost all activities have already been completed, with some targets surpassed by up to 300%.

Project Overview

The grant aims to combat inadequate diets and protein deficiencies among women and youth in the Obala–Yaoundé community by promoting the cultivation and processing of soybeans. The specific objectives to be achieved by November 2025 include:

• Training at least 15 smallholder farmer groups—primarily women and youth—in the cultivation of improved soybean varieties (TGX-1951-3F, TGX 1904-6F, TGX-1448-2E).
• Increasing productivity of soybeans farming from 1.2 to 3 tons per hectare by introducing high-yield, nutrient-rich varieties in the Monatélé Division.
• Promoting nutrition by guiding trained groups to share knowledge and introduce at least two popular soybean-based meals to three community groups in Obala.

Outstanding Achievements

Thanks to the impressive outcomes of the first phase of the Soybean Project Grant awarded by Australia Awards Africa in 2024, the Australian High Commission to Cameroon awarded CAM3A a second grant in 2025 to expand their impact.

Key accomplishments thus far in 2025 include:

• Farmer Field School Expansion: Seven farmer groups (more than double the original target of three) participated in field demonstrations.
• Demonstration Plots: Two plots were established in Obala and Ngoumou communities, serving as training grounds for 27 women and youths.
• Home-Based Training: 45 women and youth from six community groups received hands-on training in processing eight soybean products – achieving a 300% success rate compared to the initial target of 15 trainees.
• Product Development: Eight soybean-based products were developed and promoted, far exceeding the original goal of two.

The demonstration plots also serve as community hubs for raising awareness about the nutritional benefits of soybeans. Planting began on 14 and 22 April 2025 in Obala and Ngoumou respectively, with agricultural technicians providing ongoing training in site selection, land preparation, planting techniques, weeding, and fertilization. These plots will continue to be used until harvest, at most 120 days after planting.

The Obala plot, centrally located, is particularly impactful – serving not only the targeted beneficiaries but the broader community as well.

Looking Ahead

With all major milestones achieved more than four months ahead of schedule, CAM3A is already planning for the future with goals that include continuous monitoring and maintenance of the demonstration plots, expanding training to additional community groups and securing sustainable funding to implement a full soybean value chain project with broader impact on food and nutrition security across Cameroon.

Congratulations to Dr. Nchinda Valentine and the CAM3A team for their exceptional leadership and commitment. Their work sets a high benchmark for other small grantees and showcases the transformative power of community-driven agricultural innovation.