REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN Paix – Travail – Patrie MINISTERE DE L'AGRICULTURE ET DU DEVELOPPEMENT RURAL SECRETARIAT GENERAL DIRECTION DES ORGANISATIONS PROFESSIONNELLES AGRICOLES ET DE L'APPUI AUX EXPLOITATIONS AGRICOLES SOUS-DIRECTION DE LA VULGARISATION AGRICOLE
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# Minader Ministère de l'Agriculture et du Développement Rural Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON Peace-Work-Fatherland MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT SECRETARIAT GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL AGRICULTURAL ORGANISATIONS AND SUPPORT TO AGRICULTURAL FARMS SUB-DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
# Technical and Economic and data sheet for # Rain-fed upland rice production and post-production
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October 2024
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# Contents
OBJECTIVE... 3
I. OVERVIEW... 3
II. TECHNICAL ITINERARY... 3
II.1. Site Selection... 3 II.2. Soil preparation... 3 II.3. Choice of variety... 4 II.4. Sowing... 4 II.5 CROP MAINTENANCE... 5 a. Fertilisation... 5 Organic fertiliser... 5 b. Weed control... 5 II.6 Protection against birds... 6 II.7 HARVESTING... 6 II.8 POST-HARVEST OPERATIONS... 7 a. Drying... 7 b. Winnowing... 7 c. Storage (Conservation)... 7 d. Milling... 7 e. Packaging and marketing... 7 III. Risks and Constraints... 8 III. OPERATING ACCOUNT (For illustration)... 8
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# OBJECTIVE
The aim of this sheet is to boost the productivity and production of rain fed upland rice by providing producers with an up-to-date compendium of good agricultural practices. At national level, this sheet will help to mitigate the effects of food crisis and reduce imports. This guide is a support tool for extension workers and rural advisers in the context of capacity building for producers, and is also a reference document for farmers.
# I. OVERVIEW
Rice is one of the most widely consumed cereals in the world in general and in Cameroon in particular. It can produce numerous stems or stalks from the germination of a single grain, and can be grown in all the agro-ecological zones of Cameroon. A distinction is made between:
- Rain fed upland rice cultivation;
- Rain fed lowland rice cultivation;
- Irrigated rice cultivation.
The production cycle for rain fed upland rice varies from 3 to 4 months.
Rice by-products include paddy rice, white rice (whole and broken), brown/wholegrain rice, rice bran and rice husks.
# II. TECHNICAL ITINERARY
II.1. Site Selection
Rain fed upland rice grows on firm soil, and grows best on fertile land (loamy-clayey soil, less sandy soil), virgin land or old fallow land. Avoid continuous cultivation on the same plot, paying attention to previous crops (avoid cassava or any other plants that exhaust the soil), or on barren land (soil that is white due to salt). It is important to preferably choose unshaded plots.
II.2. Soil preparation
This phase involves:
- Clearing, removing stumps and weeds;
- Ploughing the soil (15 to 20 cm deep);
- Potting (breaking up clods of earth) and levelling the soil as soon as the first rains fall in order to improve the rate of root emergence and development and to bury organic matter to prevent excessive weed cover;