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Rural poverty in Cameroon

Cameroon has attained some success in combating poverty. The first national household survey in 1996 estimated that 51 per cent of the population was living in poverty, a figure that had fallen to 40 per cent by the time the second survey was conducted in 2001. But the decline mainly benefited people who live in urban areas, 22.1 per cent of whom are poor, compared to 49.9 per cent of poor people in rural areas. In Cameroon, poverty is fundamentally a rural phenomenon. 

Where are Cameroon's poor people?

The profile that emerged from the most recent survey also showed that there is no province in Cameroon that is untouched by poverty. The poorest areas are found in the far north, north-west, north-east, west and centre. Poverty in these provinces has worsened in the past 10 years, despite the decline overall.

Who are Cameroon's poor people and why are they poor?

Women and children are particularly hard-hit: 52 per cent of the people in poor households are women, and half of the members of poor households are under 15 years of age. Among the major causes of poverty, Cameroonians generally cite a lack of job opportunities, declining incomes, inadequate road infrastructure, illiteracy and problems with access to land. Poor rural people believe that better living conditions would come with job creation, better communications and transportation, improved access to infrastructure and information, stable prices for staple foods and better access to health care, water and credit.

Source: IFAD