1. Department of Agricultural Economics Georg-August University Goettingen, Germany **Institut für Agrarökonomie * Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5 * 37073 Göttingen Tel: 0551-394811 * Fax : 0551-399866 http://www.gwdg.de/~uaao/cramon/startseite/startseite.htm lllllllllllllllll The households attempt to meet consumption needs by intensifying normal coping strategies. The adaptive capacity of farming systems and households to changing climatic conditions is dependent on a wide array of factors, ranging from legal and institutional issues to the severity of climate extremes. Table 1: Food Deficit Population in Northern Cameroon Though climate variation has diminished northern Cameron’s comparative advantage in food production, however, farmers in the more ecologically stable southern region have failed to capture the economic benefits resulting from the interregional shifts in comparative advantage and associated employment. This is principally due to institutional and infrastructure constraints. Figure 2: Domestic Production and Import of Cereals in Cameroon (FAO, 2001) National authorities would have to make more than token contributions to alleviate food insecurity in the Northern region. The main plank of government policy, in the years ahead, should be to improve food security in the region through infrastructure development and market channel improvements, that would ensure farmers in the south of the country capture associated comparative advantage in production and food supply. Climate Variation, Spatial Food Insecurity and Integrated Rural Poverty: a review of evidence from Cameroon By Ernest L. Molua** Presented at the Deustcher Tropentag Conference on Tropical and Sub-Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, 9-11 th October 2001, University of Bonn, Germany. In Cameroon, food production is a major economic activity, which depends on the performance of seasonal rain. Cameroon is increasingly subject to substantial regional food deficits. The semi-arid region in the north of the country is known for high temperatures (with a yearly mean of 30 o C) and hot dry conditions for most of the year, and intermittent short rainy seasons with less than average rainfall (a yearly mean of 300mm). Year-to- year variability in climatic conditions affects agricultural productivity, farm profitability and food supply in this region of Cameroon which accounts for about 40% of the population. The rest of the country in the south is hot and humid, characterised by abundant rainfall. Erratic and unfavourable rainfall distribution with destructive torrential down pours, have recently been reported. Figure 1. A Map of Cameroon Food security in the north is precarious because of the unpredictable agricultural output which is periodically threatened by drought or erratic rainfall patterns. In the region as a whole, artificial irrigation is marginal and input supplies are declining. In addition to post-harvest losses, soil and seed quality is continually deteriorating, and overall yields per hectare are falling. Incidentally, the non-farm productive sector is also poorly developed. Not only are the region’s households the poorest in the country, these areas receive very little in the way of Government resources with which to bolster existing social safety net. The resulting instability in food production, food prices, and household incomes leads to “transitory food insecurity”. This has become an important social concern in the region.