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Cameroonian'¯Startup'¯Creates Soil Analysis'¯Kit for Farming Efficiency

Anne Nzouankeu

   EDéA, CAMEROON - Cameroon farmer Rostand'¯Simeu, 26, '¯last year
   spent'¯all his savings to start a'¯plantain and'¯banana plantation.'¯'¯

   But,'¯like all new farmers,'¯he'¯has'¯struggled
   with'¯efficient'¯production.'¯

   Simeu said the bananas have been growing for 13 months.'¯ He said this
   raises a lot of questions.

   Simeu'¯heard about'¯a'¯Cameroonian'¯company that'¯helps farmers in
   remote areas to'¯analyze'¯their soil'¯quality'¯and'¯to help choose
   crops.'¯'¯'¯

   Technology startup'¯Clinic'¯Agro'¯created a'¯kit'¯with a'¯mobile
   application called Clinic Sol'¯for instant soil'¯testing.'¯

   Founder'¯Pyrrus'¯Koudjou'¯said he'¯invented'¯the'¯kit'¯to
   help'¯farmers'¯who were'¯losing money.'¯

   He said it is'¯very important'¯today for the farmer to be able to
   analyze his soil.'¯Why, asks Koudjou?'¯ Because knowing his soil means
   being able to secure his investment, reduce the use of pesticides and
   input costs, and improving productivity and agricultural profitability.

   Most'¯Cameroonians work in'¯farming'¯as agriculture is one of the main
   staples of the economy,'¯but'¯experts said'¯many farmers'¯are'¯not
   trained'¯to analyze soil for efficiency.

   '¯Agronomist'¯Rodrigue'¯Ngono'¯trains farmers'¯at the state's
   Binguela'¯Practical'¯School of Agriculture.

   He said soil analysis is key to'¯getting'¯better results and leads
   people toward "precision farming." It is about determining the exact
   amount of nutrients that a plant will need, said Ngono, in order
   for'¯it to'¯be'¯produced '¯[most]'¯ profitably.'¯

   For farmer'¯Simeu, the'¯Clinic Sol analysis
   shows'¯his'¯soil'¯quality'¯is poor and very acidic.'¯

   The app recommends'¯he'¯switch to'¯planting'¯cucumbers, lettuce,
   eggplant,'¯pineapple,'¯or'¯cassava.'¯'¯

   '¯After the results, farmer Simeu said he does not intend to stop
   farming, especially since he now has a partner with Clinic'¯Agro, which
   is supporting him. '¯He said he will move to new land, test new samples
   of soil, and then move on to crops other than plantains.'¯ '¯

   Clinic'¯Agro'¯said in just one year, since its creation, its
   mobile'¯kit'¯has tested'¯soil quality for'¯nearly'¯one'¯thousand'¯farms
   in Cameroon.

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