COLLABORATION BETWEEN NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SYSTEMS, INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTERS, AND FUNDING AGENCIES FOR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFER: THE CASE OF THE CAMEROON NATIONAL ROOT CROPS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

The success of a national program requires mutual, nonpatronizing collaboration between the national agricultural research system, the enterpreneur which is the international agricultural research center, and the funding agency in addition to efforts of the individual scientists of the program.
This paper outlines the procedure in such a collaboration and exemplifies the concept with the case of the Cameroon National Root Crops Improvement Program (CNRCIP). Personnel training is particularly important in beginning a national program.
The CNRCIP emphasized training at all levels increasing its scientific manpower from one researcher in 1977 to 15 in 1991. In-country training of intermediate support staff and extension personnel enabled CNRCIP to develop several root crop varieties which outyielded locally grown varieties by about 112% for cassava and 80% for sweet potato, for example.
Able leadership and continuous interest and support of the host government, honest and open criticism of scientists, and adequate peer review, proper management of research funds, and reliability of the international center and funding agencies all contributed to the success of CNRCIP.

Symposium on Tropical Root Crops in a Developping Economy

J.A. Ayuk-Takem, S.N. Lyonga, J.M. Ngeve

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1994.380.7