Can climate information services support semi-arid farmers ‘context-specific adaptation needs in Cameroon? An analysis of actor’s roles, network and its implication on development and the delivery of CIS

The application of climate information services (CIS) is receiving increasing political and scientific interest as a promising climate-smart innovation to enhance agricultural adaptation in the Semi-arid Cameroon. This study was conducted in the North Region of Cameroon and attempted to identify actors involved in CIS and their roles; analyse the interactions among actors in the co-production of CIS and identify CIS needs of farmers. To achieve these objectives, 12 actor organizations were identified and selected for interviews through an extensive literature reviews and snowball sampling technique. Also, 298 farmers were surveyed using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, mapping techniques and Social Network Analysis were used for data analysis. The results show that most of the actors involved in CIS are public organisations (50%) with the Meteorological Department (NMD) and the Ministry of Agriculture (MINADER) being the most influential actors in the network. With only 25% of actors involved and three CIS identified, the generation of CIS is the least developed component of CIS sector. Besides, the uneven concentration of actors, the absence of formal collaborative framework, the lack of clarity of legal framework, the insufficiency of “localized CIS” and the discontinuity in the delivery of existing one are the major barriers for the development and the delivery of CIS in the study area. Therefore, political interventions are needed to strengthen partnerships and networking among actors including legal framework reform/clarification to facilitate the sustainable production, generation, and dissemination of CIS to farmers.