Emergence and adoption of grafted avocado culture in Cameroon: What are the challenges for cultivation systems in western Cameroon?

Abstract

Grafted avocado, nicknamed 'green gold' because of its high economic value, strong global demand, and lucrative cultivation, is a nutrient-rich fruit and a crucial economic driver, especially for Mexico and Kenya. Its popularity is booming in Cameroon, particularly with the Hass variety, prized for export and high profitability, with production concentrated in the Western region, where harvests start 2 to 4 years after planting. In this regard, the emergence of grafted avocado in the Western region presents major challenges both in terms of adoption dynamics and impacts on the structure of cropping systems in the region's production areas. To address this, a joint study was carried out in two departments of the region (Menoua and Mbamboutos). 190 producers were surveyed using snowball random sampling, through interview guides and semi-structured questionnaires. It revealed: Grafted avocado is taking up more and more space in these production areas, with an average of two hectares per farmer. Were seeing a decrease in land for food crops and vegetables, as more space is being dedicated to grafted avocado cultivation (25.38% over the past three years) per farmer. Several products made from this crop—like avocado wine, avocado oil, etc.—are being marketed, which explains the strong diversification around it. Still, the sector faces a number of challenges, including climate, organizational, socio-economic, and spatial issues.