monitoring and evaluation survey impact aassessment_science and tech in cameroon_english

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M E S I AImpact Studies

Scientific Research Capacityin Cameroon

An Assessment of IFS Support

J acques GaillardEren Zink

in collaboration with:

Anna Fur Tullberg

Report No. 5

Senegal

Uganda

urkinaFaso

nzania

eroon

enya

eria

GABON CONGO

Yaound

Douala

Ngaoundr

DschangBuea

Kribi

Bamenda

Limbe


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The International Foundation for Science, IFS, is an international, non-governmentalorganisation, founded in 1972. The mission of IFS is to contribute to strengtheningthe capacity of developing countries to conduct relevant and high quality research onthe sustainable management of biological resources. This may involve the study ofphysical, chemical, and biological processes, as well as relevant social and economicaspects, important in the conservation, production, and renewable utilisation of thenatural resources base.

The strategy to achieve this objective is to identify young, talented scientists who havethe potential for becoming the future research leaders and lead scientists in theirnations, and to effectively support them in their early careers.

The primary form of support, and the entry point to the IFS system, is the small grantawarded in international competition. Once a grantee, the researcher can be supportedin many other ways - invited to workshops, purchasing services, travel grants, training,scientific contacts, participation in networks, publishing reports, etc. More informa-tion about the activities of IFS, as well as research grant application forms, are availableat www.ifs.se.

To date, more than 3,500 researchers in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin Americaand the Caribbean have been awarded research grants by IFS.

IFS

Copyright International Foundation for Science, Stockholm

All rights reserved, 2003

Layout: Eren Zink

Printing: AB Norrmalmstryckeriet, Sweden

Cover photos: Vincent Fondong (cassava leaf) and Tanja Lundn (city of Yaound))

ISSN 1651-9493

ISBN 91-85798-52-5


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Scientific ResearchCapacity in Cameroon

An Assessment of IFS Support

J acques GaillardEren Zink

in collaboration with:Anna Fur Tullberg

October, 2003


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3Scientific Research Capacity in Cameroon

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

1.1 Measuring the impact of IFS activities 81.2. The components of the MESIA study in Cameroon 81.3 The content of the report 101.4 Acknowledgements 10

2. Science and technology in Cameroon: an overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

2.1. Building the national research system 112.2. Human resources and budgets 132.3. Tensions, initiatives and changes in the profession 192.4. Institutional innovations and new forms of partnership 222.5 Encouraging steps 24

3. Applicants and grantees in Cameroon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

3.1 The application process 273.2 Applications and success rates 273.3 The grantees 283.4 Conclusion 29

4. Characteristics of the surveyed IFS grantee population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

5. Research conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

5.1 Grantee livelihoods 335.2 Funding sources 355.3 Main factors limiting grantees research 355.4 Communication and scientific contacts 355.5 Conclusion 38

6. Publication Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

6.1 Local science and international mainstream science 396.2 Bibliometric study of grantees in Cameroon 406.3 Conclusion 44

Table of Contents


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4 Scientific Research Capacity in Cameroon

7. IFS research project completion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

8. Grantee advancement and mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

8.1 Academic progression 478.2 Promotion 478.3 Mobility 488.4 Conclusion 50

9. An assessment of IFS support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

9.1 Relative importance of IFS support 519.2 An assessment of IFS support 519.3 Conclusion 54

10. Science, society and grantees career goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

11. Conclusions and lessons learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

11.1 Success and failure among applicants 5711.2 Research conditions 5811.3 Communication and team research 5811.4 Incentives 5911.5 The brain drain 5911.6 Grantees assessment of IFS 59

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Appendix 1: The questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Appendix 2: List of Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Appendix 3: List of Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Appendix 4: List of Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

Appendix 5: Acronyms and abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70


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Preface

The International Foundation for Science (IFS) is an international NGOoffering competitive research grants to promising young scientists in theirearly career. Developing country researchers are eligible to apply and IFSrelies on a wide network of Scientific Advisers who assess the applications.Decisions on funding are made twice yearly and the value of the grant may be

up to USD 12,000, the bulk of it being used to purchase scientific equipmentand supplies. IFS signs a contract both with the grantee and the research insti-tute or university department where the work is conducted. Thus, the grantbenefits not only the individual grantee but also her/his institution.

Over the three decades during which IFS has functioned as an internationalresearch council, more than 5,000 grants have been awarded, of which onethird have been allocated to researchers in Africa. Cameroonian scientistswere among the first IFS grantees in Africa, and altogether 83 researchers havebeen awarded at least one research grant.

In order to measure the impact of IFS support for developing country scien-

tists, a monitoring programme has been established at the IFS secretariat inStockholm. This report is the fourth study investigating the research condi-tions of IFS grantees (previous studies dealt with Mexico, Tanzania and Sub-Saharan Africa in general).

This study was written by Deputy Director Jacques Gaillard and ScientificProgramme Coordinator Eren Zink. The bulk of data is derived from a ques-tionnaire to all grantees and information in the IFS database, supplementedby interviews with a sample of them, as well as field visits to selected researchinstitutions.

The findings of the report show that the scientific research landscape in Cam-eroon has eroded since the 1990s, but shows signs of recovery in recent years.

Despite severe budget cuts over the past decade there exist a number of strongacademic islands where quality science is produced. However, they are alldependent on funding from international sources.

The study shows that IFS grantees have done well academically and achievedimportant positions in the scientific community. The brain drain factoramong former grantees is extremely low, only three are working in NorthAmerica, while another four have moved to other African countries. This indi-cates that the IFS approach to support young scientists in their early careerfacilitates a scientific career in the home country.

The success rate of Cameroonian grantees is comparatively high, close to 30%,

as compared to 20% among African grantees in general. The study analysesthe reasons for the high success rate and concludes that there Cameroonian


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scientists have intensive contacts with each other and subject their draftresearch proposals to internal peer review before sending the applicationsto IFS.

Women scientists are under represented among IFS grantees in Cameroon they constitute only half the percentage of women scientists in thepopulation of scientists in Cameroon. This indicates that IFS should furtherexplore why women are not better represented. Do they have more fragilenetworks of support, are they poorly represented in IFS fields or, duecommitments to family and children that delay their research careers, arethey too old to qualify for IFS support?

As IFS looks to expand its support to researchers in the least developedcountries, women constitute a category whose participation in the IFS smallgrants programme could be significantly increased. In order to see such anincrease, IFS will further investigate why women are poorly represented

among applicants from some countries.

The study reports on how IFS is perceived among grantees in Cameroon.IFS received the most positive assessments for its core activity: the mannerin which it administers its research grants. A majority of respondentsgraded the IFS as excellent in this regard and all respondents were at leastsatisfied. The IFS selection process, the service whereby IFS purchases andships research equipment, monitoring and follow-up of research projects,and contact with the IFS staff also received high marks from grantees inCameroon.

Stockholm, October 2003Michael SthlDirectorInternational Foundation for Science


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0 50 100 150 200

IvoryCoast

Ghana

Congo

Ethiopia

Senegal

Uganda

BurkinaFaso

Tanzania

Cameroon

Kenya

Nigeria

Number of grantees (1974-2003)


1. Introduction

The overall mission of the International Foun-dation for Science (IFS) is to support researchersfrom the developing world early in their careersto conduct research on the management, use, andconservation of biological resources. The core of

IFS support is financial, and comes in the form oftwice renewable research grants with maximumvalues of USD 12,000. The major budget items cov-ered by grants are equipment, literature, fieldworksupport and supplies. In some cases, salaries ofresearch assistants and technical personnel can becovered. IFS provides opportunities for grantees tomeet and interact with other scientists, and travelgrants permit grantees to attend scientific meetingsor to visit other research institutes or universitiesfor training or collaboration. IFS organises its ownworkshops as well: to date close to 100 meetings

related to the IFS Granting Programme have beenheld. IFS is also active in promoting and stimulatingscientific networks at a regional and internationallevel. Furthermore, IFS has an award scheme witha cash prize that recognises grantees for notewor-thy achievements associated with research projectssupported by IFS. All of these efforts are intendedto enhance grantees credibility as scientists and toenable them to become established and recognisedin national and international scientific circles.

IFS has been an actively engaged with the Cam-eroonian science and technology community since

1977. The National Office for Scientific Researchand Technology (ONAREST)1 became an AffiliatedOrganisation of IFS in that year, and the year afterthe first two grants were awarded to Cameroonianscientists working at the National AgriculturalResearch Institute (today IRAD). One of them, Dr.Ayuk-Takem, a maize geneticist, is today directorof IRAD after having served as Minister of Scienceand Technology in the early 1990s. Representativesfrom Cameroon regularly attend IFS Assembliesand workshops, and IFS staff frequently visit Cam-eroonian universities and research institutes.

During 1974-2002, IFS supported close to 3400scientists in 99 developing countries, of whichmore than a third (1231) were in Africa and 84 inCameroon. Of 40 recipient countries in Sub-Saha-ran Africa, Cameroon has the third largest number

of IFS grantees and is preceded only by Nigeriaand Kenya (Figure 1). Given the relative size of itsnational scientific community2, this third positionfor Cameroon is to be expected.

Up to December 2002, IFS approved altogether139 grants to 86 scientists in Cameroon. Twonever started their research projects and their grantswere consequently withdrawn. The total number ofscientists supported by IFS in Cameroon up to theend of 2002 is therefore 84. Of these 84, six aredeceased today.

The total value of research grants awarded to sci-entists in Cameroon (not including travel grantsto attend scientific meetings and to visit researchinstitutes abroad) equals approximately 1.4 mil-lion USD. In addition, IFS has organised eightworkshops in Cameroon. Due to a particular char-

Figure 1

Top recipient countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (1974-2002)


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Box 1

Workshops organised by IFS in Cameroon

1978. Buea. Yams/Ignames.

1985. Douala. Development of Indigenous Fer-mented Foods and Food Technology in Africa.

1989. Bamenda. Small Ruminant Research.

1989. Garoua. Cereals of the Semi-arid Tropics.

1993. Yaound. Comment rdiger une demande definancement de recherche.

1994. Yaound. Comment rdiger une demande definancement de recherche.

1994. Yaound. Use, maintenance and repair ofscientific equipment.

2002. Buea. International workshop on pur-chasing, servicing and maintenance of scientificequipments in western Africa.

2003. Yaound. Food Africa Conference (co-organised)


1.2. The components of the MESIAstudy in Cameroon

This study was initiated during a visit to Cam-eroon by IFS (Jacques Gaillard) in November1999 during which interviews were conducted inBamenda, Buea, Douala, Dschang, Ekona, Foum-bot, Limbe, Njombe and Yaound in a variety ofinstitutions specialised mainly in the biologicaland agricultural sciences, and, to a lesser extent,nutrition and health. IFS grantees in Cameroonwere also contacted in February-March 2003 to

update available information on their whereaboutsand careers. A follow-up final visit was also madeby Jacques Gaillard in March 2003 to conductadditional interviews and update information onscience and technology (S&T) activities in Cam-eroon. The present study covers the time periodfrom 1974 until 2002, and includes the 84 granteesthat participated in the IFS Programme during thattime. While these grantees are working in some 8research institutions throughout the country, two-third of them are found in the top two recipientinstitutions: the Institut de Recherche Agricole pour

acteristic, namely bilingualism, Cameroon is a veryattractive country to organise regional meetings forFrench speaking and English speaking grantees inthis part of the world. The first was held in 1979in Buea on yams (Dioscorea spp.). Many scientistsworking on Yams in Western and Central Africamet in Buea for the first time thanks to IFS. Morerecently, IFS organised together with local andinternational partners the International Workshopon Purchasing, Servicing and Maintenance of Sci-entific Equipment in Western Africa in Buea inNovember 2002 and the Food Africa Conferencein Yaound in May 2003. The list of all meetingsorganised by IFS in Cameroon is given in Box 1. Atthe beginning of 2003, 34 Cameroonian scientistscontinued to receive support from IFS.

1.1 Measuring the impact of IFS activi-ties

To better evaluate the impact of IFS activities, aMonitoring and Evaluation System for ImpactAssessment (MESIA) was established at the IFSSecretariat in Stockholm, Sweden. The main objec-tives of MESIA are to assess the achievements of thegrantees and the effect that grants and other formsof support provided by IFS have had on grantees

academic and institutional career. A number ofcomplementary approaches are used to achievethis aim including interviews and questionnairesurveys intended primarily for IFS grantees, biblio-metric studies on scientific output of IFS granteesand national impact studies such as the presentone for Cameroon. A conceptual framework anda standardised set of guidelines have been elabo-rated in order to allow international comparisonsand to involve IFS staff and as many IFS AffiliatedOrganisations as possible (Gaillard, 2000).

The first MESIA questionnaire survey was designed

for IFS grantees and beneficiaries of the INCO-DEV programme of the European Commissionin Africa. The results of this survey, highlightingthe conditions and the constraints for scientistsin Africa today, have been analysed and published(Gaillard and Fur Tullberg, 2001). In addition,country case studies have also been conducted andcompleted for Mexico, Tanzania, and Cameroon(this report). The Mexican country case study waspublished in December, 2001 (Gaillardet al, 2001)and the Tanzanian country case study was pub-lished in October 2002 (Gaillard et al, 2002).


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Institution City No. of Grantees

Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Dveloppe-ment (IRAD)

Nkolbisson/Yaound and 6other cities 28

University of Yaound I Yaound 27

University of Dschang Dschang 16

University of Ngaoundr Ngaoundr 6

University of Buea Buea 3

Others 4

Total 84


le Dveloppement (IRAD) and the University ofYaound I (see table 1).

The study comprises five main components: anoverview of S&T in Cameroon, a retrospectiveanalysis of IFS applications, applicants and grant-ees, a questionnaire survey addressed to the IFSgrantees in Cameroon, a bibliometric study oftheir scientific production, and finally interviewsof Cameroonian grantees. These five componentsare briefly presented below. The period underreview for IFS applications, applicants and grantees

is 1974-2002 and the period of reference for thequestionnaire survey and the bibliometric study is1974-1999.

1.2.1 Overview of science and technologyactivities in Cameroon

The main objective of the overview, presented inChapter 2, is to describe the Cameroonian S&Tenvironment. The topics covered include sci-ence development and policy, the institutionallandscape, the conditions under which scientists

work, the new initiatives and institutions, and IFSgrantees position in the Cameroonian S&T system.Organisations and individuals interested in work-ing in Cameroon on strengthening science capacitywill find it to be an informative and detailed intro-duction that can be read independently of the restof the report

1.2.2 Analysis of applications, applicantsand IFS grantees

A key component of the study, is the analysis ofapplicants and grantees success rates, and distri-

bution, and grantees project duration, quality ofsubmitted reports, and academic and institutionalpromotion.

1.2.3 Questionnaire survey

As part of the Questionnaire survey of Africanscientists, questionnaires were sent to 59 Cam-eroonian scientists in Cameroon in March 2000. Areminder was sent in June 2000 to those who hadnot responded. 48 questionnaires (or 81% response

rate) were completed and returned to IFS.

1.2.4 Bibliometric study on scientificproduction

A bibliometric study was also carried out to deter-mine the effect of IFS support on the trends in thenature and volume of the scientific output of theIFS grantees. Of 66 grantees at the end of 1999,49 sent publication lists containing a total of 972publications (all document types). This 71% rate ofresponse is considered to be very satisfactory (see

chapter 6). The results of the bibliometric study arepresented in chapter 6.

1.2.5 Interviews

Following a series of interviews in Yaound withthe Ministers in charge of Research and HigherEducation as well as with several heads of institu-tions, 27 interviews of IFS grantees were carriedout in Cameroon in October and November 2000.Qualitative information from the interviews have

been used throughout the report to illustrate the

Table 1

Top recipient institutions in Cameroon (1974-2002)


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impact of IFS support on the grantees workingenvironment and career.

1.3 The content of the report

The report is organized in 11 chapters includingthis introduction and the conclusion with crossreferences between the chapters. Although aneffort has been made to organize the chapters in alogical order, they can be read separately and/or ina different order. Chapter 11 summarises the mainfindings of the study and lessons learned.

1.4 Acknowledgements

In the course of the fieldwork for this study, IFSbenefited from the support of theInstitut de Recher-che pour le Dveloppement (IRD) that provided acar and a driver that greatly facilitated journeys

within the country. Furthermore, Jacques Gaillardwas seconded to the IFS Secretariat by IRD. IRDssupport is gratefully acknowledged. Jean Nya-Ngatchou, Research Director Emeritus from Cam-eroon, assisted in gathering and updating statisticson S&T activities in Cameroon. Hocine Khelfaouiparticipated in a complementary study on Sciencein Cameroon at the dawn of the 21st century. Theinterviews he carried out with scientists in social,medical and basic sciences, although not directlyrelevant to the IFS grantees work, were very usefulto corroborate or invalidate some of our results.Henrik Hovmller is the architect of the IFS data-base and provided some important data for thisreport. Brian Porter helped with the layout of thereport. The backbone of this report comes from

the Cameroonian grantees themselves. Withouttheir answers to the questionnaire, and the manyenlightening discussions during the interviews,this report could not have been written. Every-bodys contribution is gratefully acknowledged.

Chapter Notes1

ONAREST has successfully been transformed in different bodies to become today the Ministry of Science and Technology (see Chapter 2).

2In a recent study (Gaillard, Waast and Hassan, 2002), it is estimated that the number of researchers (Full Time Equivalent) in Nigeria, Kenya and

Cameroon were respectively 3,000, 1,000 and 800.


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This chapter provides an overview of the devel-opment and current status of science and tech-nology (S&T) in Cameroon. The topics coveredinclude science policy, the institutional landscape,the conditions under which scientists work, the

new initiatives and institutions, and IFS granteespositions in the Cameroonian S&T system.

2.1. Building the national researchsystem

Like in most African countries south of the Sahara,modern science was introduced in Cameroonduring western colonisation. In the beginning,scientific research in Cameroon was carried out byexplorers, Christian missionaries, colonial admin-

istrators, officers of the German and French armies,as well as isolated researchers and academics. Theseresearchers conducted their investigations in areasas diverse as botany, zoology, archaeology, history,sociology, human and physical geography, geology,etc. In 1960, when the Cameroonian State becameindependent, it inherited an appreciable researchinfrastructure established during the colonialtimes, but the number of trained Cameroonianresearchers was very small1.

Collaboration between Cameroon and France pre-vented the interruption of research activities during

the transition from colonial possession to inde-pendent state. The running costs of the instituteswere taken over by the Cameroonian authorities,but the salaries of the researchers, who were mostlyFrench scientists, were provided by France. Thisenabled the emerging Cameroonian State, in thebeginning, to concentrate its resources on highereducation and training. Research remained essen-tially agricultural, and focused on plant breeding,crop protection and the improvement of agricul-tural systems. Research interest in subsistence cropswas just starting. These had been neglected before,

all attention having been turned towards cashcrops for export.

2. Science and technology in Cameroon: an overview

2.1.1. From higher education to research

Research was considered a priority in the first yearsof independence, but the first national investmentswere actually made in the sector of higher educa-

tion. Many schools and universities were foundedbefore any new research institute was created.Thus, the first institute created by the new state, in1960, was theEcole Nationale Suprieure dAgronomie(ENSA). Created with American aid funds, thisinstitute was later transferred to Dschang in 1977to become part of the newly founded UniversityCentre. It was also within this University Centrethat the National Institute for Rural Development(Institut National de Dveloppement Rural, INADER)was created in 1988. The ENSA later became theFaculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences

(Facult dAgronomie et des Sciences Agricoles, FASA).The University of Yaound was founded in 1961,followed by the University Centres of Douala,Ngaoundere and Dschang.

In 1962 the Council for Scientific Research wasfounded and instructed to report directly to thePresident of the Republic. In spite of the creationof this council, no real change in research policyoccurred during the first ten years of independ-ence from 1960 to 1970. Based on Franco-Cam-eroonian agreements, research remained underFrench leadership and was conducted within the

French institutes established in Cameroon. Thisleadership was reinforced following the Franco-Cameroonian co-operation agreements of 1963 onscientific research and technology. The 1960s werethus mainly years of expansion of higher educationand training. It was not until the 1970s that the firstpublic research institutes were created (see Box 2).

At the national level, the institutionalization proc-ess (see Box 3) led to the creation of the NationalCouncil for Scientific Research and Technology(ONAREST). This institution, placed under the

Ministry for Regional Development, became oper-ational in 1974. The creation of ONAREST was also


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Box 2

Creation of the first Cameroonian research institutes

1972: creation of the National AgriculturalResearch Institute (Centre National de RechercheAgronomique) at Ekona in the South-westernprovince.

1974: creation of the Institute for MedicalResearch and Medicinal Plants (Institut deRecherches Mdicales et dEtudes des PlantesMdicinales) in Yaound.

1974: creation of the National Centre for Agri-cultural Machinery (Centre National dEtudes etdExprimentation du Machinisme Agricole), bythe Ministry of Agriculture.

1983: creation of the National Veterinary Labora-tory, by the Ministry for Animal Production.

Box 3

The science policy institutionalisation process and thecreation of ONAREST

1965-1974: creation of the National Officefor Scientific Research and Technology (OfficeNational de la Recherche Scientifique et Tech-

nique, ONAREST). ONAREST became fullyoperational in 1974.

1969: creation of a Department of HumanResources and of Scientific Research within theMinistry for Planning and Regional Develop-ment.

1971: The Department for Human Developmentand Scientific Research becomes the PermanentSecretariat for Science and Technology.

1974: creation of the Council for Higher Educa-

tion, Science and Technology. The task of thisbody was to advise the government on highereducation and scientific research policy issues.


accompanied by the foundation of nine researchinstitutes.

2.1.2. ONAREST: 1974 - 1978

With the establishment of ONAREST in 1974,

Cameroon acquired a research management coor-dinating body as well as a central instrument forunified management. The latter was required bydecree of the newly established Unified Republicof Cameroon, the creation of which put an end tothe federal regime in 1972. In view of the federalconstitution of Cameroon, which at the time ofindependence consisted of the French-speakingeastern Cameroon and the English-speaking west-ern Cameroon, it also made sense that research beplaced under federal authority.

The mission of the ONAREST was to co-ordinate

scientific research throughout the whole territory,and to act as adviser to the government on scien-tific issues. This unified central management com-pensated for the nearly autonomous way in whichresearch functioned in the field. Indeed, in westernCameroon, research was essentially co-ordinatedby the Cameroon Development Corporation(CDC), aided by French organizations like theResearch Institute on Oils and Oleaginous Plants(Institut de Recherche sur les Huiles et Olagineux,IRHO). In the French-speaking part of Cameroonresearch was conducted within French research

organizations. As reported by its director at thetime, the ONAREST mainly co-ordinated activitiesof the French research institutes.

In the meantime, an increasing number of Cam-eroonian scholars were trained at national universi-ties and other institutions of higher education andkeen to take responsibility for research activities.The rapidly growing local capacity for research ledto the review of existing co-operation agreementswith France. After some months negotiation, therevision of the agreement texts was finalized inFebruary 1974 by the Franco-Cameroonian agree-ment on cultural co-operation. In parallel, Frenchresearch structures underwent an internal reorgani-sation, demonstrated by the creation of theGroupe-ment dEtude et de Recherche pour le Dveloppementde lAgronomie Tropicale (GERDAT, later to becomeCIRAD). This structure brought together Frenchtropical agricultural research institutions, in differ-

ent African countries, including Cameroon.

The newly established ONAREST was confrontedwith a number of challenges, the most difficultof which being to convince different ministriesto hand over the responsibilities they had helduntil recently to the new organization ONAREST.Another challenge was to ensure the continuityof the various activities it had inherited, and tonegotiate the transfer conditions of assets andpersonnel with the old French institutions. TheONAREST integrated all the French institutes in

Cameroon, including the ORSTOM, the PasteurInstitute and the French Institute of Geography,which were in a way nationalized. At its creation,the ONAREST thus inherited around ten Frenchresearch institutes active in different fields. A third


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Box 4

The reorganisation of ONAREST in five research institutes

The Institute for Agricultural and ForestryResearch, Institut de Recherche Agricole etForestire (IRAF), based in Ekona, took over theactivities of the ICP and the ICVT.

The Institute of Zootechnical Research, Institut deRecherche Zootechnique (IRZ), which continuedto be based in Ngaoundere, replaced the IZPV.

The Institute of Medical Research and MedicinalPlants, Institut de Recherche Mdicale et dEtudesdes Plantes Mdicinales (IMPM).

The Institute for Research in Technology, Indus-try and the Subsoil, Institut de Recherches sur lesTechniques, lIndustrie et le Sous-sol (IRTISS),integrated the activities of the IRT and theIHGM.

The Institute of Human Sciences, Institut des Sci-ences Humaines (ISH), replaced the INE.


challenge was inherent to the organization ofresearch itself within the ONAREST. Running thenine research institutes proved much more costlythan anticipated and their administration muchmore complex.

In order to improve the capacity of ONAREST torespond to these challenges, the government re-organized the ONAREST in March 1976. Amongthe changes was the reduction of number ofresearch institutions from nine to five, as well asthe size of their respective missions (Box 4).

2.1.3. From the DGRST to the Ministry ofScience and Technology

In 1979 the ONAREST was transformed into aGeneral Authority of Science and Technology,Dlgation Gnrale la Recherche Scientifique etTechnique(DGRST), which answered directly to thePrime Minister. This change reflected a consider-able gain in political status for scientific research,which was soon after to be given its own Ministry.

The DGRST was responsible for the managementof research in Cameroon until 1984, when it wasintegrated into the higher education sector: the re-

organization of the government in February 1984led to the creation of the Ministry of Higher Educa-tion and Scientific Research, which took over theentire responsibilities of the DGRST in matters ofresearch2. Two years later, in 1986, this departmentalso integrated the computer technology servicesand changed its name to Ministry of Higher Edu-cation, Computing and Scientific Research3. Afterbeing under the same Ministry for a relatively longperiod of time (from 1984 to 1992), research andhigher education were separated again. In 1992,the Ministry of Higher Education, Computing andScientific Research was split into two: the Ministry

of Higher Education, and the Ministry of Scienceand Technology, the latter entrusted to Dr. AyukTakem, at the time Director of the Institute forAgricultural Research, Institut de Recherche Agricole(IRA) and also former IFS grantee.

Researchers and academics alike find difficultiesin coming to terms with the separation betweenresearch and higher education. For the researchersof the research institutes, this separation makesgraduate training more difficult to access, as well asthe participation in doctoral work and the super-

vision of PhD students. In more general terms, itmakes scientific co-operation with their colleagues

more complicated. Any collaboration undertakenwith the university is nowadays the sole result of

informal contacts that researchers and academ-ics form outside of the institutions. Many of theinterviewed researchers qualify the relationshipbetween universities and research institutes interms of conflicting solidarity: solidarity,because research had no personnel of its ownupon decolonization, and the State gave the uni-versity the task of training scientists that could laterrun it, conflicting, because the leaders trained atthe university continue to be evaluated accordingto a system that does not take into account the timespent on research activities.

2.2. Human resources and budgets

2.2.1. Rise and fall of State research

Research in Cameroon received considerable Statesupport until the middle of the 1980s. In 1974,the government established a funding system forscientific research and technology when the ONA-REST was created. At that time, Cameroon wasamong the African countries having invested most

in research. The early 1980s were prosperous yearsin research; according to researchers interviewed,


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0

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IRA

85/8684/8583/8482/8381/8280/8179/8078/7977/7876/77

Annualbudget

(millionCFAF)

Year


funding available to researchers in Cameroon wascomparable to French levels at that time.

The high funding levels were to a large extent dueto revenues from petroleum, but there was also agenuine political will to train and have access toa scientific elite. It was during this period that thelarge majority of the Cameroonian scientific com-munity was formed. Large investments in researchwere made by the government. These efforts are

apparent in the funding levels given before theapproaching crisis to institutes such as the IRAand theInstitut de Recherches Zootechniques et Vtri-naires(IRZV) (Figure 2).

Within a ten year period, the total budget for thetwo institutes rose from slightly more than onebillion CFA franc (CFAf) in 1976/1977 to 9.2billion in 1985/1986. In addition to governmentsubsidies, income from sales of the institutes ownanimal and crop production should be added on,as well as income from laboratory analyses under-taken. During this period, research was carried

out within programmes included in the five-yearplans for development. Until 1985, each researcherworked within programmes defined beforehandby his or her research institute. The leadership ofthe institutes decided which research subjects theresearchers should deal with. The means providedto carry out the research depended on the objec-tives set, and it was simply asked of the researcherto ensure that the plan was fulfilled.

Some researchers remember this prosperous periodby certain outward signs noticeable by all: at one

time, the vehicles of the DGRST were so numer-ous in the capital that even children recognized

them. Others remember that some made good useof the advantages offered by the system withoutnecessarily contributing to the advancement ofscience in return: many researchers participatedin programmes without publishing anything; theyjust collected their travel claims related to a givenprogramme.

This period was also that of the developmentand subsequent establishment of the status of

researcher

4

. The decree on the status of research-ers, signed in July 1980, marked a significant stepin the evolution of research in Cameroon. Thenew status of researcher proved extremely popularwith the active researchers as well as with younggraduates aspiring to a research career. Thanks tothis status, research attracted a large number ofcandidates. In 1980-1981, 54 researchers wererecruited, and 44 in 1981-1982. During those twoyears, around 30 researchers benefited from grantsfor specialization abroad. In 1982, Cameroon had196 national researchers.

The remarkable increase in the number of nationalresearchers during the 1980s (see Box 5) is partlyexplained by the establishment of the special statusof researcher, which attracted even PhDs active indifferent ministerial departments to research. Thestatus of researcher, decreed in a national contextcharacterized by a small number of researchers anda poor understanding of the mission of researcherby the general public (for example his or her placein the civil service), had the advantage of clearlydefining that a researcher is a professional devotingall his time to activities of scientific research. Fur-

thermore, the status developed a sense of commu-nity spirit among the researchers above and across

Figure 2

Budget of IRA and IRZV in millions FCFA (1976-1986)


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Box 5

The changing research community in Cameroon,

1965-1987

The changes within the research community inCameroon during the period 1965-1987 can bebroadly characterized in three periods:

From 1965 to 1974: period during which themanagement of research structures was carriedout by the French research institutes. The numberof national researchers in the institutes for agro-nomic research of the ORSTOM increased fromtwo in 1965 to 120 in 1974, while that of expatri-ates increased from 61 to 84.

From 1974 to 1980: period of the ONAREST. Thenumber of national researchers in all the research

institutes increased from 120 in 1974 to 152 in1980.

From 1980 to 1987 (period when the DGRST wasestablished and the status of researcher decreed,the number of national researchers increasedfrom 152 in 1980 to 283 in 1983-1984 and toclose to 400 in 1986-1987, while the numberof expatriated researchers remained constant ataround 82.


the diversity of disciplines. It also served to createa framework attractive enough for young universitygraduates to envisage a research career5.

The growth observed in the universities andresearch institutes during the 1980s was abruptlyended by an economic crisis. This led to a stop inrecruitment, delays in the payment of salaries, theend of funding of research programmes and theerosion of motivation among researchers.

2.2.2. University growth and research

stagnation

The development of public research infrastructurein Cameroon was accompanied, as mentionedabove, by that of the universities. The developmentof the universities was stimulated by the necessityto respond to large increases in student numbers.Despite the efforts made in this direction sinceindependence, the institutions of higher educationcannot offer places to all the students wanting toenrol, even though the total number of students isrelatively low (60 000 students for a population of

15 million people, or one in 250)6

.

The creation in 1977 of four new university centresin Douala, Dschang, Buea and Ngaoundere did notfulfil the main intended objective of relieving theovercrowded University of Yaound. Whereas theYaound campus was experiencing difficulties intaking care of the increasing number of students,the newly created university centres remainedunder-utilised. The University of Yaound con-tinued to suffer from under-staffing, from weakinternal and external performance, from the steer-ing of the budget towards administrative offices,and from the lack of motivation of the universitycommunity as a whole. The reform of higher edu-cation in January 1993, resulting in, among otherthings, the establishment of six universities, aimedat giving the youths of Cameroon fresh academic

and professional perspectives.

To illustrate the change in the number of students,it should be noted that the Federal University ofCameroon had 600 students enrolled when itstarted in 1962. In 1970, the number of studentshad risen to 7 000, in 1984 to 18 000, in 1990 to32 000, and in 1991 to 45 000. However, from1991 a continuous decrease in numbers occurred,going from 43,744 in 1992 to 38,674 in 1996.This short decline was followed by a spectacularincrease, all but doubling the number of students

in only three years (1996-1999). The change innumber of students did not, however, follow thesame pattern everywhere. The decrease was sub-stantial within the two universities of the capitalcity (Yaound I and II) starting from the beginningof the 1990s until the academic year 1996/1997.During the same period, the number of students atthe universities in the provinces increased steadily(see Figure 3).

While the student population increased, the eco-nomic and financial crisis affecting Cameroonsince 1986/1987 forced big budget cuts to research.

In addition, disbursals of the approved budgetsfor research were irregular and often incomplete,making research conditions difficult and delayingthe payment of salaries to the personnel, civil serv-ants and contract staff alike.

During the most difficult years, namely from 1990to 1996, the research programmes dependent onnational funds were stopped because of the delaysin salary payment. Only the projects with externalfunding could be pursued more or less withoutdisturbance. Figure 4 shows the funding collapse

suffered by the Institute of Agronomic Researchstarting from 1986.


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30000

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99/0098/9997/9896/9795/9694/9593/9492/9391/9290/91

NumberofStudents

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92/9391/9290/9189/9088/8987/8886/87

Annualbudget

(millionCFAF)

Academic year


The amounts illustrating the situation at the uni-versities show that the decrease in budgets becameeven more accentuated between 1992 and 1999(Figure 5).

State financial support for the University ofYaound (which was divided in 1993 to becomeYaound I and Yaound II) decreased by almost90% between 1991 and 1999. While there weresmall increases to the four universities in the prov-

inces, these increases did not match the reductionsat the University of Yaound. Among the univer-sities in the provinces, the University of Doualaprofited most from the budget increases startingin 1998/1999, its budget having gone from 898million to 1.7 billion CFAf. However, this increaseinvolved running costs and not investments,which, on the contrary, decreased. Furthermore, forall of the universities, if one considers the shrink-

ing mean budget per student (Figure 6), it becomesapparent that the increases did not keep pace withthe increased numbers of students.

In addition to diminishing the funding availableto universities, the economic crisis prevalent inCameroon since 1986/1987 caused the alloca-tion of public subsidies to become irregular. Oftenapproved funds were not released, and only thesalaries were paid to the researchers and teachers,

sometimes with many months delay.From 1987 onwards, recruitment committees forresearchers no longer assembled regularly, andrecruitment became rarer. Thus, the number ofnational researchers stagnated until the begin-ning of the 1990s and then started to diminish,as departures due to retirement were no longercompensated by new recruitment. In addition, the

Figure 3

Number of students in public higher education from 1990 to 2000

Figure 4Budget of the IRA and IRZV in millions of CFAF (1986-1993)

Source: Restructuration de la recherche agricole (1993)


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Yaound I

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(millionCFAF)

Academic year

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nt

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financial constraints of the institutes also meantthat many researchers resigned from their posi-tions. For example, the researchers within the IRADnumbered 248 in 1992, but only 198 in 2003. Theresult is that the researchers of the institutes havebecome progressively older, and very few of theresearch officers at the IRAD are today below 40years of age (see Box 6 for a more detailed look atIRAD and the Faculty of Science at the Universityof Yaound I).

During the economic crisis, political tensions alsoappeared in Cameroon that imposed further chal-lenges and risks for researchers. A significant out-come of the political situation was the dissolutionof the institute of Human Sciences with its fourresearch centres: the centre for anthropologicalresearch, the centre for geographical research, thecentre for research in demographics and the centre

for research in economics and social sciences.Only cartography survived to become the futureNational Institute of Cartography.

Despite the 5% GDP growth of the last few years,this upswing has not had repercussions for researchbudgets. While this may indicate that research isno longer considered an important priority by theauthorities when it comes to budget allocation, itmay also be explained by the fact that the accumu-

lated national debt continues to handicap publicfinances greatly, limiting investment capacities toa large extent.

In short, the financial crisis has resulted in acontinual shrinkage of the State subsidies to theresearch institutes, causing:

The indefinite postponement of most researchprojects funded nationally.

The progressive depletion of the plant andanimal gene pool.

The lack of work for researchers and techni-cians, whose salaries have, furthermore, notbeen paid for several months.

The many unpaid bills for equipment andconsumables.

The worsening of scientific and technicalpotential, in particular of the infrastructure,which can no longer be adequately main-tained.

The lack of running water and electricity incertain centres and research stations.

Figure 5

Budgets of the universities of Yaound I and II (1991 to 1999)

Figure 6

Mean budget per student in the public universities inCameroon in millions CFAf


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Box 6

The shrinking of a highly qualified research community: examples

As would be the case for most African countries, it proved to be problematic to access accurate and up-to-date

statistics on the number, age and qualifications of the overall scientific community in Cameroon. However,through the active collaboration of former IFS grantees, we were able to get information on the age and high-est degree of scientists at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Yaound I and at the Agricultural ResearchInstitute for Development (IRAD). Altogether, they amount to some 400 scientists and are representative of thetwo main institutional populations of scientists in Cameroon: higher education system and research institutes.

Information gathered indicates clearly that the scientists in Cameroon (particularly at the university) are highlytrained. Nearly all researchers (96%) at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Yaound have a PhD (orequivalent) or a Doctorat dEtat1 (see Table A). It should however be noted here that the University of Yaoundis the oldest university in Cameroon and it is likely that the scientific staff of the more recently established uni-versities may be slightly younger and have slightly less academic training. Meanwhile, about one-third of thescientists at IRAD have a PhD (or equivalent).

1The Doctorat dEtat is an inheritance from the French system. Although it has been abolished in France, it is still currently in force in

Cameroon and in many French speaking African countries. It is the highest university degree delivered often 10-15 years after the

Doctorat in recognition of an outstanding academic work and career.

The scientists at IRAD obtained their highest degrees in 14 different countries: Cameroon, France, United States

and United Kingdom being the most common (see Table B). Except for the neighbouring Nigeria were 16 scien-tists from IRAD got their highest degrees, very few such degrees were awarded in other African countries.

Highest degree University of Yaound I IRAD % of allresearchersNo. of

researchersPercentage ofresearchers

No. ofresearchers

Percentage ofresearchers

BSc/Engineer 0 0 % 38 18.5% 9%

MSc 2 1% 77 38% 18%

DEA/DESS 8 3% 18 9% 6%

PhD 178 76% 69 34% 56%

Doctorat dEtat 48 20% 1 0.5% 11%

Total 232 198

Table A

Highest degrees held by researchers at IRAD and University of Yaound I (Faculty of Sciences only)


The crisis and tensions outlined above haveboth eroded the importance of the profession ofresearcher in Cameroon and created a extremelychallenging environment in which Cameroonian

researchers have demonstrated an extraordinarycapacity for survival and innovation of new initia-tives.

2.2.3 Turning towards external funding

Prior to 1987, the state financed between 85%and 95% of research activities (including sala-ries). However, during the period 1987-1993, thepercentage of foreign funding rose to as much as39%. The largest funding contributions came from

the World Bank (mainly in the form of loans),theFonds dAide la Coopration (FAC), the Caisse

Centrale de Coopration Economique (CCCE), theBritish Overseas Development Administration(ODA, today DFID), the European Union and theGerman GTZ.

The crisis began to establish itself in 1987, then,as shown by the above curves, worsen and widenin the beginning of the 1990s. This period wasdescribed by the researchers interviewed as adescent into Hell. The crisis put a violent brakeon research. In most research sectors, shortagesbecame the rule, and not a single programme couldbe carried out without external funds. These fundswere targeted to national programmes (this is thecase of the Coopration Franaise, the World Bank,the Overseas Development Administration, the

German Agency for Technical Co-operation, andthe USAID7), the strengthening of research teams


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Given the scarcity of recruitment (particularly at IRAD) during the last 10 years, few of them are 40 years orbelow 40 years (see Table C). The youngest scientists were respectively 31 and 33 at the Faculty of Sciences and at

IRAD at the beginning of 2003. The most important age group is between 40 and 49: respectively 50% and 74%at the Faculty of Sciences and at IRAD. It is high time for the conditions for their renewal to be created. We willcome back to this issue in the last section of this chapter.

Country Number of degrees Country Number of degrees

Cameroon 46 South Africa 2France 35 Ghana 2

United States 29 Former Soviet Union 2

United Kingdom 27 Canada 1

Nigeria 16 Ivory Coast 1

The Netherlands 9 Denmark 1

Belgium 9 Unknown 18

Table B

Countries in which IRAD scientists obtained their highest degrees

AgeUniversity of Yaound I IRAD

TotalNo. ofResearchers


No. ofresearchers


Less than 30 0 0 % 0 0% 0%

30-39 46 20% 16 8% 14%

40-49 116 50% 146 74% 61%

50-59 57 25% 36 18% 22%

60-65 13 5% 0 0% 3%

Total 232 198

Table C

Age of scientists at IRAD and University of Yaound I (Faculty of sciences only)

Box 6

(continued)


(this is the case for AIRE-Dveloppement and theINCO-DEV programme of the European Union),or to support individual researchers (this is the caseof French Institut de Recherche pour le Dveloppementand the International Foundation for Science). Theprogrammes supporting research teams and indi-viduals have enabled many Cameroonian research-

ers to continue pursuing their research activities.

Furthermore, given the importance of the agricul-tural sector to the national economy and the lead-ing role that research should play in the develop-ment of this sector, in the early 1990s the govern-ment decided, with the support of several donorsincluding the World Bank, to draw up a proposalfor reforming agricultural research in depth. Theconclusions of this proposal led to the fusion of theInstitute of Agricultural Research (Institut de Recher-che Agricole, IRA) and of the Institute of Zootechni-

cal and Veterinary Research (Institut de RecherchesZootechniques et Vtrinaires, IRZV). The fusion of

the institutes aimed to simplify administrative pro-cedures and reduce the number of administratorsand operational structures, as well as to decentral-ize the research programme in order to better takeinto account the needs of the users in the differentagro-ecological zones of the country. It is expectedthat decentralisation will ultimately lead to a wider

implementation of research results.

2.3. Tensions, initiatives andchanges in the profession

The economic crisis not only caused a considerabledrop in public spending on research institutes anduniversities, it also meant that the salaries of theresearchers became so low that they had to comeup with strategies for survival depending, to a largeextent, on consultancies for international organi-

sations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs)and private businesses.


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Grade Echelon IndiceMonthly salary before taxes

1992 1993 July 2000

Attach de

Recherche

1

2

465

530

240 667

269 936

123 798

132 362

138 975

149 050Charg deRecherche

123

605665715

302 723322 010341 296

142 243150 148156 736

160 675169 975177 725

Matre deRecherche

123456

715785870940

1 0051 050

341 296368 296401 084428 085453 156470 514

156 736165 959177 157186 380194 943200 872

177 725188 575201 750212 600222 875229 650

Directeur deRecherche

123

1 0501 1151 140

470 514495 587505 230

200 872209 436212 730

229 650239 725243 600


2.3.1. Devaluation of the salaries and strat-egies for survival

Prior to 1993, researchers and University lectur-ers in Cameroon were paid competitive salariesas compared to those in other African countries,enabling them to enjoy a relatively high standardof living. However, in 1993 the economic crisiscaught-up with researchers salaries resulting in a66% reduction. This drop in salaries was followeda few months later by a devaluation of 50% of theCFAf compared to the French currency.

Within a year, the purchasing power of Cameroo-nian researchers had fallen catastrophically. Aresearch officer earning 250 000 CFAf, about 380

Euros per month, in the beginning of the 1990ssaw his purchasing power drop to around 125Euros per month. On the upper side of the salaryscale, a research director earning 500 000 CFAfin 1990, around 760 Euros per month, got theequivalent of 250 Euros per month in 1993. Whileby 2000 salaries have risen by 10 to 15%, they arenot sufficient for the researchers and their familiesto live on. Table 2 presents the official salaries ofthe researchers8 during three successive periods: in1992, before the drop in the salaries of civil serv-ants occurring in 1993; in 1993, after the drop; and

in July 2000, after the decree of the Head of State,signed on the 27th of July 2000, increasing thesalaries of civil servants9.

The drastic drop in salaries was a key event in thenarrative of each interviewed IFS grantee (some-times referred to as the descent into Hell).A common complaint was that to be able to

conduct his profession in a proper fashion, theresearcher needs a salary that enables him to pro-vide for his family; we get a salary, but it does notcover elementary needs any more. The referencesto the pitiful salaries can be found pinned to officewalls: and the Lord saw our work, and it pleasedhim well. He asked to see our salaries, and heturned back and started to cry.

One result of the low salaries is that many have leftresearch, and the ones that have stayed are oftennot very motivated. Those who have left generallyremain in Cameroon. However, they prefer to lookfor employment in other sectors of national activ-ity that offer better pay, as witnessed by a geog-rapher of the National Institute of Cartography:

three of our geographers trained at the Institutehave left it for the land registry, the mission forrural and urban network development (MissiondAmnagement et dEquipement des Rseaux Urbainset Ruraux) or the private sector as topographer,expert geometrician, in geodesy. Many keep theirposition, ensuring a minimum service: the teach-ers keep their position at the University, but theyare only keeping up appearances. They provide fortheir families by taking on any better paid job else-where. The University can do nothing about this;the only thing it can do is to draw the attention of

the authorities to the salary conditions of the aca-demics and to ask for their improvement so thatthey can concentrate on their work.

The strategies for survival vary with the gen-erations, the family situation and the disciplines.Many young researchers, newly married and withchildren, cannot afford the rent of a town flat and

Table 2Researcher salaries (in CFA francs)


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have built themselves a low-cost home on the out-skirts of the city. Many researchers, having savedafter having worked abroad, have invested in a taxi,or a minibus, or a small shop run by their spouse11or another family member. Others have invested insmall field plots cultivated by the family in order tosell the produce on the local markets.

Even if they stay within their own area of expertise,many earn extra money by spending time runningfrom seminar to seminar to collect per diems andtravel expenses, turning into hunters of exper-tise, travelling through the whole of Africa toteach. Many lecturers teach in Congo, Benin andother countries of the region. The researchers, fortheir part, engage in consultancy activities for their

personal benefit. This has led to discussions: somehave asked that the researchers pay 20% of theirearnings to the institutes. This is also what theminister in charge wished. It has however not beenimplemented.

2.3.2. A lost generation of researchers

While salaries decrease and established research-ers leave their profession, what should be the newincoming generation of researchers is being lost to

Cameroon. Since the late 1980s, unemploymenthas affected a large proportion of higher educationgraduates. Around 1,300 graduates emerge eachyear from the Cameroonian system of educationholding their first degree (with a mean success rateof about 30%), but thousands of degree holdershave not been able to find a first job. More than8,000 graduates of higher education engineersas well are affected by unemployment becausethe local job market cannot provide adequate jobopportunities and the state has suspended recruit-ment into the civil service as well as the competi-tive exams to enter some of the grandes coles

open to first degree holders.

High unemployment among degree holders is not,however, a sign that the diplomas held are of poorquality. Most of the interviewed researchers main-tain that the degrees earned in Cameroon are of agood standard: the Cameroonian student has aninternational level, he/she is a credit to the teach-ers who trained him/her. Selection is ruthless andwholly dependent on the teachers. The student ispassed only depending on his/her exam results.This assertion is supported by the fact that Cam-

eroonian researchers are very competitive, and theirsuccess rates among the highest at the bilateral and

international foundations for research financing.This is also the case for the Cameroonian research-ers who apply for IFS research grants.

The erosion of the research community is alsoreflected in the dormancy of many scientific associ-ations. All the interviewees mentioned the existenceof many scientific associations, but they all agreethat they today are active only very little or not atall: The society of Cameroonian mathematiciansexists but does not function, as is the case for manysimilar societies in Africa. These associations wereinvolved in the creation of many scientific jour-nals which are no longer in circulation. The mainCameroonian journal Revue Science et Techniquewith many different parts (Health Sciences, Earth

Sciences, Agronomical and Zootechnical Sciences)has not been published since 1990. This difficultyto continue publishing scientific journals is con-firmed by a retired research manager: most ofthe journals in science and technology disappearalready after the first two issues, mainly because ofthe lack of funding, the bad management and theinsufficient number of subscriptions.

2.3.3. Researchers without results

The decree on the status of researcher signed in July1980 marked an important step in the evolution ofresearch in Cameroon, and attracted many younggraduates towards research at the time. Today manygovernment members have a high level of scientifictraining, in particular those responsible for highereducation and research. Researchers benefit froma special status within civil service and that thesupervision of research is carried out by a Ministrywhich defends its rights and tries to introduce adynamic national research policy. However, as hasbeen detailed in the previous pages, working con-ditions have deteriorated greatly and the Ministry

lacks the financial means to implement its poli-cies. Lack of funding and shrinking opportunitiesto carry-out research for the public good limit theresearchers capacity to play a role in the develop-ment of Cameroon. This lack of engagement withthe needs of Cameroonians results in the fact thatresearchers do not enjoy much recognition orsocial prestige in Cameroonian society. A geogra-phers comments express the frustration of manyresearchers: the street does not acknowledge theresearcher, except perhaps the medical doctor orthe agronomist a surgeon carrying out a success-

ful operation is recognized by public opinion, theothers, no-one knows them.


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The absence of national funds to support researchfor the public good is further complicated by therise of consultancy work at the bequest of foreigninstitutions and organisations. According to some,researchers have become mercenaries at the mercyof donors. As a result, the Ministry of ScientificResearch and Technology speaks of the necessityfor the Cameroonians to repossess research. Thefollowing quote adequately summarizes the feel-ing of having had ones own free will taken away, afeeling shared by many researchers and people incharge of research in Cameroon: We have becomeworkers on our own building site, the workers ofthe donors, of the French, but also of others, thatare becoming more and more numerous. We handover data to them, and they do with it as they

please. The countries in Africa have become objectsof research, not subjects; on top of all that, we donot even profit from it. They fund the researchprojects according to their own interests. We wanta partnership which will enable us to draw some-thing from it for our own needs.

Another researcher of English descent living inCameroon since 1970 confirms the above: Ifwe dont watch out, we will become collectors ofsamples sent to Europe. The developed countrieshave a tendency to use Africa as a place where you

do some research which you later bring home, likea laboratory where you do experiments. Africa isselling herself without thinking. She does not seewhere the results go, and she does not profit fromthem.

In response to this unsustainable situation, Pro-fessor Henri Hogbe Nlend, former Minister ofScientific Research and Technology, organized thefirst conference of ministers in charge of Researchand Development in western and central Africa inJanuary 1999 on the general theme of Boostingand repossessing scientific research in Africa for

the good of the African people in a context of glo-balization. Among the recent innovations in thisspirit, a University research grant scheme (FondsUniversitaire dappui la recherche, FUAR) was cre-ated for the period 1999-2001 at the University ofYaound I (See Box 7).

2.4. Institutional innovations andnew forms of partnership

The difficulties related to the economic crisis have

also led the foreign co-operation agencies to reviewtheir mode of work. This has led to the rise of new

institutional systems within the framework of arenegotiated partnership. Furthermore, the with-drawal of the State has opened up the way for newplayers in development, particularly the NGOsthat are gaining in influence. In this context, somedisciplines and new institutions have succeededamongst the general erosion of the Cameroonianresearch infrastructure.

2.4.1. Islands of resistance

Whereas the national institutions of research andhigher education are battling with almost insur-mountable budgetary constraints and seem to bedeclining, a few groups of researchers and research

teams, mostly small, find the means to make theirlaboratories work, supervise graduate students,maintain scientific networks abroad and publish.The survival of these islands of resistance is pos-sible thanks to the international solidarity of col-leagues from foreign laboratories. It has happenedin a few departments that Cameroon has beenable to replace the generation of professors trainedduring the 1960s and 1970s (mainly in France,in the USA, in Great Britain, but also in Russia),most of them still active, by a generation of youngresearchers having mostly obtained their PhDs at

the University of Yaound during the 1980s.This is the case in chemistry, and in particularin the division of organic chemistry focusing onthe extraction of natural products from medici-nal plants. This community of organic chemiststrained in Yaound were able to ensure its repro-duction as well as reach a critical mass at the eveof the university reform of 1993. Its spread towardsthe newly created universities of Dschang and Bueaseems to have been a success and will be reinforcedby the recent recruitment taking place in theseinstitutions. Its definite success will however be

established only if and when these new laborato-ries train a new generation of chemists. Apart fromthe international solidarity mentioned earlier, theemergence and strengthening of these groups owea great deal to continuous foreign funding from,among others, several French programmes andinstitutions (e.g. IRD and Campus), a Swedish pro-gramme, ISP (mainly financed by Sida/SAREC),and grants from the International Foundation forScience.


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Box 7

The University Research Grant Scheme,Le Fonds Universitaire dAppui la Recherche (FUAR)

For the first time in the history of the University in Cameroon, a competitive national research fund was

launched during the academic year 1998/99 at the University of Yaound I. This und, named Le Fonds Universi-taire dAppui la Recherche(FUAR), has several objectives:

The re-structuring of the existing endogenous academic expertise.

The development of synergistic forces between different research teams, with an emphasis on multidiscipli-narity.

The strengthening of the science laboratories at the University around concerted research issues.

After close consultation with the Ministry of Scientific Research and Technology, the FUAR focused on fivebranches:

Promotion of the cultural heritage, languages and development.

Education and training. Bioscience and biotechnology.

Low-cost technologies for water supply

The environment and forests.

The research projects have been selected taking into account the following criteria:

Scientific quality of the laboratory or the research team as judged by their previous publications in the con-cerned field (30%).

Scientific quality of the research project methodology, novelty, information (documentation) (30%).

Relevance and impact of the project on national development (30%).

Feasibility of the project taking into account the available resources (personnel, equipment, funding) and ofits duration, two years (10%).

Of a total amount of 90 million CFAf, the budget of the FUAR was to be provided by the Ministry of Higher Edu-cation (30 million CFAf), the Ministry of Scientific Research and Technology (30 million CFAf) and the rectorateof the University of Yaound I (30 million CFAf).

On the 18th of June 2000, Professor Jean Tabi Manga, the new Rector, signed the agreement to allocate the sub-sidies to 29 category A projects (of high priority) and 22 category B projects (of average priority). However, highhopes for this new programme are tempered by reports that as of early 2003 only the first half of the grantedamount had been disbursed. Furthermore, some scientists in Cameroon worry that the selection process has notachieved a satisfactory level of transparency.


2.4.2. The creation of new autonomousresearch centres in partnership

In the institutional landscape of Cameroon of theend of the 1990s, the Centre Rgional Bananiers etPlantains (CRBP) in Njombe hosting several IFSgrantees stands out as a privileged structure. Withits well equipped laboratories housed in newlyconstructed and well maintained buildings infront of which new cars are parked, it contrastswith the centres of the IRAD. It is also providedwith a scientific library of good quality, adequate

budgets for field work, and good quality lodgingfor its researchers.

Founded in 1989 in the context of the economiccrisis, the CRBP was conceived as a centre of excel-lence in research and training on the subject ofthe plantain and other banana varieties. It wasalso meant to be an adequate host to agriculturalresearch in partnership. According to its founda-tion agreements, this centre is to be administra-tively and financially autonomous and headed by adirectorate composed of a head of administration,an executive of the French Ministry of Coopera-tion, of a science co-ordinator, a CIRAD researcher,and of a centre director, a researcher from the

IRAD. The Cameroonian State finances the centrewith the participation of several donors such as the


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European Union, the World Bank and the FrenchMinistry of Cooperation. The CRBP has until now(2003) worked in a satisfactory way for all parties.

The IRAD station at Garoua, also supported byFrance, was created on the same model. Later, in1995/96, the research programmes in differentbranches of agro-industrial production (coffee,cocoa, rubber, oil palm) as well as fruits and veg-etables were re-organized and benefited from fund-ing by the French Ministry of Cooperation (todaymerged into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), aswell as the financial support of the producers. Thecontinuous cuts in State subsidies, in particularfrom 1986 to 1995, led to the establishment ofthese projects whose institutional organization is

built on the model of the CRBP and the Garouaproject.

2.5 Encouraging steps

In February of 2003 the newly appointed Ministerof Higher Education, Professor Maurice Tchuente,oversaw the Journes Universitaires pour la Science etla Technologie (JUST). The initial goal of JUST, tomap the state of affairs of S&T activities in the uni-versities, became more ambitious when the Minis-

try of Science & Technology and the private sectorbecame engaged and contributed to a neededdialogue on science, society and development inCameroon. The event was deemed a success andthe high level of participation of Cameroonianentrepreneurs may lead to stronger partnershipsbetween universities and enterprises in Cameroon.JUST was also partly responsible for the creation of

specific funds to support research at each universityin Cameroon. At the same time, the research fundof the Ministry of Higher Education was increasedfrom 150 million CFAf in 2002 to 300 millionCFAf in 2003.

Whereas through the process of deprofession-alisation described in the preceding pages thepool of active people in science at universities andresearch institutes has significantly decreased overthe course of a decade, there are now promisingsigns emerging from Cameroon. Late in 2002 andin early 2003 the Ministry of Science and Technol-ogy launched an unprecedented recruitment cam-paign. Altogether, 278 young researchers being, allless than 35 years old, were recruited. Most of the

new recruits are between 25 and 30 years old andhave a MSc or a DEA. Only a few have a PhD. Thelion share of them went to IRAD which is by farthe biggest research institute and to a lesser extentto the Institut de Recherches Mdicales et dEtudesdes Plantes Mdicinales (IMPM). The situation ofthese new recruits is stil l fragile however, and somesix months after their recruitment they were stillwaiting to get their salaries.

The situation in Cameroon within the S&T com-munity in 2003 was one of hope, with young

researchers beginning to enter the system, and astrong nodes of highly qualified senior researchersin key centres and departments. However, the reju-venation of the Cameroonian S&T infrastructureduring the coming years will clearly depend on thecontinued attentions of the both the governmentof Cameroon and cooperation with national andinternational partners and donors.


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Chapter Notes1

For a more detailed account of the birth of science and research institutions in Cameroon, refer to Gaillard and Khelfaoui (2001).

2Dr G. BOL ALIMA was appointed head of this ministerial department and was replaced in 1985 by M.D. ABOUEM A TCHOYI.

3Abdoulaye BABALE was appointed head of this Ministry.

4Decree no. 80/275 of the 18th of July, on the status of researcher.

5It should be mentioned that a new researcher status is being discussed. Elements aiming at a closer resemblance with the existing status of

university teacher (like for example the age of retirement) are reported to be part of it.

6Or 400 for 100 000 people, around one-third ratio the countries of Northern Africa (Morocco: 1 132; Algeria: 1 236; and Tunisia: 1 253), one-

sixth the European average and one-tenth that of France. This rate however puts Cameroon in a slightly above average position compared to

the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, in front of Senegal (237) and behind Cte dIvoire (413), Botswana (546), Namibia (738) and South Africa

(1 524) (World Bank, 2000).

7USAID withdrew their funds following the controversial re-election of the President of the Republic of Cameroon. This withdrawal was a catastrophe

for the institutions and the researchers who profited from USAID funds.

8There are equivalents between the researcher ranks and those of the higher education lecturers, but the ranks within the higher education system

are more spread out.

9On top of their normal salary, the researchers can benefit from a research bonus and a bonus of technical nature; for the teachers, a higher

education bonus and a bonus of technical nature, the amounts of which depend on the rank.

10 100 CFAf = 1 FF = 0.015 EUR.11

There are very few women in the research institutes in Cameroon. At the IRAD, in 1999, there were 18 women out of 204 researchers (or 8.9%).

They were equally distributed between research officers and research assistants. None is Director of Research. For the whole of the Faculty of

Sciences, there were 29 women out of a total of 214 (or 13.5%) during the academic year 1997/98.


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Year 1st Applications 1st Grants

awarded1993 7 3

1994 10 61995 13 4

1996 14 6

1997 13 4

1998 9 31999 14 3

2000 19 4

2001 7 62002 14 5

Total 120 44


3. Applicants and grantees in Cameroon

Researchers in Cameroon have submitted appli-cations to IFS and been awarded research grantssince 1976. In this chapter the process of apply-ing for IFS funding is briefly reviewed, followedby a description of the applicants and grantees

in Cameroon and a brief review of their distribu-tion among institutions and research areas. Alsodescribed are the success rates of applicants.

3.1 The application process

Applications for IFS support are accepted year-round, and funding decisions are made twice annu-ally. The primary type of support provided by IFS isa research grant in the maximum amount of USD12,000 which can be awarded to a researcher up

to three times. After an initial pre-screening at theSecretariat, applications for IFS support are sub-mitted to a group of Scientific Advisers who havean expertise in the applicants field. The ScientificAdvisers send their evaluation of the applicationto a Scientific Advisory Committee consisting ofbetween four and eight senior researchers, wherea recommendation is made to IFS regarding theapplication. Regardless of the decision, the com-ments and constructive criticisms of the ScientificAdvisers are compiled and forwarded to the appli-cant. Unsuccessful applicants are encouraged toreview the comments of the Scientific Advisers and

to submit an improved application.

3.2 Applications and success rates

During the period 1993-2002, IFS received 120applications1 for a first grant from scientists inCameroon. Of these, 44 research proposals wereapproved, giving a 36.6% success rate. This is ahigh rate of success. In comparison, the success rateof researchers in Cameroon during the 1990s wasmore than two times higher than that for Africa

(15%) and Asia (17%), and higher than that forLatin America (30%).

The high success rate is to be related to the qualityof training of Cameroonian researchers. Many ofthe Cameroonian scientists did their graduate andpostgraduate studies at the University of Yaound(cf. Chapter 4), the quality of which is praised both

in Cameroon and outside Cameroon. Further-more, a research grant application submitted by ascientist in Cameroon is rarely sent to IFS directly.It is first peer-reviewed in Cameroon by colleagueswho are most often former IFS grantees. This prac-tise was explained during interviews and seemsto be the rule among organic chemists and foodscientists, groups that have been particularly suc-cessful. Fifty percent and 47% of the applicationssubmitted by Cameroonian scientists and reviewedwithin the IFS research area of Food Science andNatural Product Chemistry have been approved

(see below).On average, IFS receives some 10 applications fromresearchers in Cameroon each year, and awardsbetween 3 to 6 grants (see Table 3). The lowestnumber of applications received during the periodunder review in Table 3 (1993-2002) was seven,and 2000 stands out as a year with many applica-tions. Years with many applications can often belinked to particular recruitment efforts in Cam-eroon. The 19 applications received in 2000, for

Table 3Number of applications and first grants by year (1993-2002)

2


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Research Area Applications Grants Successrate (%)Food

Science

6 3 50

NaturalProducts 17 8 47

AnimalProduction 6 2 33

CropScience 10 3 30

Forestry/Agroforestry 5 1 20

AquaticResources 5 0 0

Total 49 17 35

Institution Applications Grants Successrate (%)

Univ. of Dschang 6 3 50IRAD 6 3 50

Univ. of Ngaoundr 11 5 45

Univ. of Yaound I 14 6 43Univ. of Buea 3 0 0

Others 9 0 0

Total 49 17 35

N aturalProducts

Food Science (E)

Forestry/Agroforestry

Crop Science

Anim alProduction

Aquatic Resources

Figure 7:

Grantees by Research Area


example, are the result of increased IFS visibility inCameroon in conjunction with visits and informa-tion seminars during the field work for this MESIAstudy.

During the period under review, IFS targeted itssupport towards six different Research Areas3. Tocalculate success rates for each respective researcharea we look into the applications that were proc-essed during 9 successive sessions4 or nearly fiveyears5 (see Table 4). During that period, 47 applica-tions were submitted to IFS and 17 were approvedgiving a success rate of 35%. As mentioned earlierFood Science and Natural Product chemistry havethe highest success rates. In addition to the reasonsmentioned earlier this success, particularly in Nat-

ural Products chemistry, is likely related to a severaldecades old tradition in Cameroon, to a dynamicdepartment of organic chemistry at the Universityof Yaound with a critical mass of scientists and toits spread to the newly created universities particu-larly in Dschang and Buea (see Chapter 2). We alsobelieve that the dynamism and survival of thesegroups have been possible so far thanks to inter-

national solidarity with foreign colleagues andcontinuous support from different organisationsduring the last three decades, including IFS.

Success rates are slightly lower than average forAnimal Production (30%) and Forestry/Agrofor-estry (20%), and no projects in the area of AquaticResources during the last five years were approved.Aquatic resources proposals from Cameroon donot have a history of success at IFS, with only two

researchers awarded support since 1974.Overall, success rates are higher in the largenational agricultural research institute (IRAD) andin the universities than in the more isolated insti-tutions in which scientific research is not the mainmandate and in which a critical mass of scientistsis not available (see Table 5). Examples of the latterinstitutions are provincial institutions (e.g. Dlga-tion provinciale de llevage, des pches et des indus-tries) or associations of farmers (eg Fako AnimalFarmers Cooperative).

3.3 The grantees

During the period 1974-2002, 86 scientists inCameroon were awarded a first IFS research grant.Two never started their research projects and theirgrants were consequently withdrawn. The totalnumber of scientists supported by IFS in Cameroonup to the end of 2002 is therefore 84. Of these 84,six are deceased and 38 were still receiving supportfrom IFS in early 2003.

Crop Science is the Research Area with the greatestnumber of grantees in Cameroon (25),

monitoring and evaluation survey impact aassessment_science and tech in cameroon_english

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