The Climate Challenge to Indigenous Mbororo Communities in the Mbum Plateau, North West Region, Cameroon - Abstract
The study examines the impact of climate change on the Mbororo people’s way of life in the Mbum Plateau of Cameroon. Both primary and secondary
data were utilized in the research. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) was employed to evaluate the vulnerability of the rangeland ecology to climate
variations, utilizing rainfall and temperature data from 1981 to 2022. Primary data sources included field surveys and interviews with 200 households,
complemented by secondary sources from published and unpublished materials. The qualitative presentation involved content analysis, integrating different
opinions and perceptions of the informants with the presentation of results. The quantitative analysis involved the graphic presentation of climatic data and a
tabular presentation of dwindling pasture resources. The findings indicated that rainfall has become more unreliable in the Mbum Plateau, while temperatures
are rising, posing a significant challenge to the Mbororo pastoralists as the rangeland ecological resources for their cattle are decreasing. To adapt to the
diminishing cattle numbers, the Mbororos have taken up farming, hawking, and schooling as new means of livelihood. The study recommends sustainable
pastoral activities by encouraging the introduction of drought-resistant cattle species, as well as bracharia and guatemala grass to supplement natural pasture.
It also suggests that MINEPIA should regularly control herd size to maintain ecological balance and that transhumance tracts and areas should be demarcated
to avoid frequent farmer-grazier conflicts and cattle theft