Land access, microcredit access and inclusive growth in Cameroon: a gender perspective

Using data from the third Cameroonian Households Consumption Survey (CHCS 3), this research examines the implications of gender responsive microcredit policy on inclusive growth and food security in Cameroon. The study also presents the evolution of Microfinance Institution’s performance. Therefore we put on evidence both a statistical and econometrics methodological framework. Empirical evidences show that, all over the country women have less access to land and formal credit than men, particularly in rural area. Women usually get access to credit thanks to common initiative groups (group lending approach), informal lenders, friends, neighbours, which then constitute the informal financial sector. This credit is used for income-generating activities especially in agricultural sector in order to promote an agricultural-based inclusive growth that lead to food security and poverty alleviation. As far as the linkage between women access to credit and food security is concerned, results indicate that household’s basic goods expenditures such as food and clothing significantly increase with regards to women’s easier access to loans or microcredit. We suggest to Cameroonian authorities to put in place a gender sensitive budgeting, to promote women access to formal credit because access to credit help women to achieve food security for them and their family, it empowers them and promote inclusive growth in the agricultural sector.