LARDIN Follows Up on Tomato Seedling Support to Farmers in Wututu, Buea

From Seedling Support to Sustainable Agricultural Impact

The Legacy Action and Royal Development Initiatives (LARDIN) conducted a follow-up field visit to Wututu, Buea, on Saturday, October 10, 2026, to assess the progress and impact of tomato seedlings distributed to local farmers during the LARDIN Food Summit.

The visit brought together seven LARDIN team members, accompanied by Mr. Flaubert and two other farmers. It formed part of LARDIN’s commitment to ensuring that its community support initiatives translate into meaningful and sustainable outcomes for beneficiaries.

Beyond providing agricultural inputs, the visit offered an opportunity to observe crop development, listen to farmers’ experiences, identify emerging challenges, and explore ways to strengthen the long-term impact of the initiative.

Healthy Tomato Growth Signals Encouraging Progress.

During the visit, the team was taken to the farm site where the seedlings had been planted. Observations indicated that the tomato plants were growing healthily, suggesting encouraging progress for the initiative.

Because planting was carried out in phases, the farms and plants were at different stages of development. Some tomato plants had already developed green fruits, while others were yet to flower and produce fruit.

These observations provided an opportunity to appreciate the progress made so far while recognizing the importance of continued monitoring and appropriate agricultural support as the crops mature.

Farmers Appreciate LARDIN’s Continued Engagement.

One of the most encouraging aspects of the visit was the feedback received from the beneficiary farmers, who expressed delight and gratitude for LARDIN’s support and follow-up.

The farmers highlighted two aspects of the initiative that they particularly appreciated: the provision of tomato seedlings free of charge and LARDIN’s decision to return to the field to assess progress.

According to the farmers, they had interacted with several organizations in the past, but LARDIN’s approach stood out because the seedlings were provided without charge, and the organization returned to check whether the initiative was progressing successfully.

Their feedback reinforces the importance of community engagement that goes beyond the initial distribution of resources. It also highlights the value of accountability, follow-up, and sustained relationships with beneficiaries.

Market Challenges Threaten Farmers’ Returns.

Despite the encouraging progress in crop growth, the visit revealed a significant challenge affecting the farmers’ ability to benefit fully from their hard work: the difficulty of preserving and marketing harvested tomatoes.

Because tomatoes are highly perishable, farmers explained that they often feel compelled to accept whatever price buyers offer. Refusing a low offer may mean risking spoilage and losing the value of their harvest.

This situation leaves farmers with limited bargaining power, even after investing considerable time, labour, and resources in cultivation. The result is that their financial returns may not adequately reflect the effort involved in producing the crops.

The farmers proposed exploring ways to preserve or process tomatoes so that they could be stored safely for longer periods. Such options could help reduce post-harvest losses, provide greater flexibility in deciding when to sell, and improve their ability to negotiate fairer prices.

The challenge highlights an important lesson: agricultural support must consider not only production, but also preservation, processing, storage, and access to reliable markets.

Local Innovation in Water Conservation.

The visit also revealed a practical water conservation method developed and used by local farmers to support tomato cultivation.

Farmers dig holes in the ground, line them with wrappers or tarpaulins, and fill them with water to create makeshift reservoirs. During periods of intense sunshine, they cover the reservoirs with leaves to help reduce evaporation. The stored water is then used to irrigate the tomato plants.

This locally adapted practice demonstrates the resourcefulness of farmers in responding to water availability challenges. It also offers an opportunity to document existing community knowledge and explore ways to improve the method’s effectiveness, durability, and safety.

Recognizing and building upon local innovations can help strengthen climate resilience and support more sustainable agricultural practices.

Next Steps: Strengthening the Entire Agricultural Value Chain.

The follow-up visit confirmed that the tomato seedling support initiative is progressing encouragingly and is highly appreciated by the beneficiary farmers. However, it also identified the need to complement production support with practical solutions to post-harvest and marketing challenges.

Based on the observations and feedback received, LARDIN will explore opportunities to:

• Promote low-cost tomato preservation and processing: Identify practical training opportunities that can help farmers extend the shelf life of tomatoes and reduce post-harvest losses.
• Strengthen market access: Explore linkages to more reliable buyers, improved market opportunities, and cooperative selling arrangements that could strengthen farmers’ bargaining power.
• Document local water conservation practices: Record existing farmer-led innovations and explore opportunities to improve their effectiveness and sustainability.
• Continue beneficiary follow-up: Maintain engagement with farmers to monitor progress, understand emerging needs, and identify opportunities for further support.

These are proposed next steps to be explored.