As the climate crisis pushes up food prices, farmers turn to intercropping for better crop resilience
- Batata Boris-Karloff
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
The harsh effects of the climate crisis are increasingly being felt in all aspects of our lives. One of these consequences is rising food prices. In local markets in Buea, Cameroon, consumers are paying more for staple foods as changing weather patterns reduce harvest and disrupt food supply chains.
Traders at the Great Soppo Market say crops such as plantain have become more expensive because prolonged rains, strong winds, and unpredictable weather are damaging farms before harvest. The drop in supply is causing a rise in prices, leaving both vendors and consumers struggling to cope.
"Whenever it is the rainy season, the quantity of plantain drops because the rain falls with strong winds. The winds push down the plantains before they mature, leaving very little to sell," Casandra, a plantain trader explains.
The impact ripples beyond the markets. Restaurant owners say they are forced to reduce portion sizes, because the same amount of money now buys significantly less produce.
"Plantain that we used to buy for FCFA 1,000 or 1,500 now gives us only a small quantity. We have no choice but to reduce the portions we serve because our purchasing cost has increased," says Taku Genevive, a restaurant owner.
In Muyuka, farmer Ndolo Irene Mobby has embraced intercropping, cultivating plantain alongside crops such as cassava, cocoyams, potatoes, cocoa, oranges, plums and yams. She says the crop yields have become increasingly difficult to predict, with hotter temperatures and hasher sunshine affecting growth.
“We had early rain in February which made us plant on the basis that the rains have come, but after which we had prolonged dryness that affected the crops we planted.”
While consumers grapple with rising food costs, some farmers are changing the way they farm to reduce climate-related losses. Instead of focusing only on a single crop, the diversified farms spread production throughout the year, ensuring that if one crop fails, or its season ends, another can provide food or income.
"When plums finish, oranges begin. When oranges are gone, another crop is ready. Every crop has its own season, so I can always harvest something," Irene explains.
Intercropping helps farmers make better use of land while improving resilience to climate shocks, and creating more space for biodiversity. Growing different crops together reduces the risk of complete crop failure, improves soil cover, conserves moisture, suppresses weeds, and allows farmers to harvest at different times of the year.
“When you plant yams, it takes about three months for the yams to have foliage that is covering the land. So during that time you can plant waterleaf, which you can harvest and sell [within that three months].” Dr. Mananga Ngongi, an agricultural expert explained.
Beyond the economic benefits of practicing mixed cropping, Dr Ngongi said it helps to conserve the soil. “Another advantage is for soil conservation, that is, to have soil cover during the time when the main crop has not yet covered the ground. So instead of just going to remove weeds, you can instead harvest crops that will be of help." Dr. Ngongi added.
As climate change continues to affect agricultural production across Cameroon and the world, the effects are becoming increasingly visible on household food budgets. Rising market prices are one consequence, but farmers adopting diversified production systems demonstrate that some level of adaptation may be possible.
Ndolo Irene Mobby’s experience suggests that building resilience does not always require expensive technology. Sometimes, integrating a Regenerative and ecosystemic approach, such as growing a wider variety of perennial crops on the same farm, can protect both livelihoods and local food supplies in the face of an increasingly unpredictable climate.
Find out more about this story in the video above, and explore other integrated regenerative methodologies on the publications page here.