Dynamics of Ndu and Tole Agro-Industries and Outcomes on Rural Development in Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon

Agro-Industries play crucial roles in population empowerment, rural development and the dynamics of communities in developing countries. The Ndu and Tole Tea estates in Cameroon are not exceptions. Created by the Germans, in 1928 the management of the estates was inherited by the British under the Commonwealth Development Cooperation and later transferred to the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) in 1947. These agro-industries now under private management since 2002 have been involved in tea production, transformation and commercialization in national and international markets. In the process of achieving these goals, the enterprises have been at conflict with the local populations and workers that carry out activities in the plantations. Even though, the estates have been at the forefront of rural development and livelihood transformation in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon, their activities at different periods of Cameroon history have had several negative outcomes in the uplift of populations and promotion of development in the countryside. This study has as objective to investigate how the activities of these estates have contributed to the improvement of rural livelihoods and development in the study sites and emerging challenges. Data for production of this work is tapped from primary sources (field investigations) and secondary sources (literature on development, agriculture, and industrial geography). The findings of this study show that the estates have created job opportunities for the population, enhanced the incomes of host communities, improved the road infrastructure, health, water and electricity services of the rural population. On the other hand, the working conditions of population that operate in the estates have been precarious and marked by human rights violation through nonpayment of debts owed workers, wanton dismissal of workers without justification, landgrab and conflicts amongst others. This paper investigates into the development history of these enterprises.