By Fai Cassian Ndi
 |
| Florence Njimptoh |
Florence Njimptoh is a farmer
based in Binka village in Donga Mantung Division of the North West Region of
Cameroon. What makes Florence Njimptoh to stand out of the madding crowd of
rural women is her philosophy to life and work. At her young age, she grows up
with the notion that stumbling blocks in life are stepping stones to go to
higher heights. And when she finally engaged in farming as a fervent
profession, her thoughts were govern by the notion that anything that is worth
doing should be done well or not done at all. As a crop farmer, suddenly became
a perfectionist that set standards even for herself. In fact she is a farmer
that has proven her worth in piloting many innovative programmes. Apparently,
Florence Njimptoh has the ardor of a bee and the power of a stallion when it
comes to accomplishing a job. It is not for nothing that in the year 2000, she
was recognized as the Millennium Farmer of Donga Mantung Division. From 2000 to
2013, Madame Florence Njimptoh won 8 different prizes both at the Regional,
Divisional and Sub Divisional levels thanks to her farm produce. Part from
cultivating 7ha of beans every year, she also does market gardening. In 2011,
she was the only farmer in the Division who was chosen to produce new variety
of beans. She emerged first in the North West Region in the best farm
competition and in 2013 she was voted by readers of The Eye Newspaper as Donga
Mantung Best Crop Farmer.
Give some people a tree to plant
and it will never grow, but with Florence Njimptoh the story is always
different. The truism in her success is first the passion for farming and
secondly she of that group that could easily grow maize on sand. “Farming is
my only source of income and from my harvest I have been able to send my kids
to the best schools” she says. Although not born in misery, Florence
Njimptoh was not born in wealth. What she has today is the result of hard work
and determination.
To her, farming is a worthwhile
business that never fails. “I have gone places because of my farm and I think
those who say that farming is a profession for the poor are on the wrong side
of history. It is the backbone of our economy and I am happy as a farmer”. She benefitted a lot of training from Non
Governmental Organization and travelled widely too thanks to her farm work. Apart
from working on her farm, she is the leader of the largest women group in Donga
Mantung Division with about 2000 women. Today she is not just a farm manager
but a resource person to extension services. Whatever crop she cultivates, she
remains a teacher to other farmers. To know Florence Njimptoh is to have a cue
of the acts of those who are propel by the passion to sustainable action. When
two are gathered to talk about sustainable development in the Nkambe Central
Sub Division, count her the third person.
With over 25 years receiving
and attending training workshops on leadership skills, Madame Florence Njimptoh
is certified as a dynamic leader with respect and confirmed assiduous in her
duties. Ncham George, the Divisional Delegate for Agriculture and Rural
Development described her as a “leader of leaders”. While Gregory Muluh, the
Coordinator of the Grassfeild Participatory and Decentralized Rural Development
Project-GP DERUDEP says Florence Njimptoh is an elite farmers and a model that
would spur others to enter farming as a business. If she is a household name
today, it is due to the ceaseless gusto she has for hard work, innovation and
the fact that she seeks to accomplish any task to the fullest. At this time of
the year that much is being said about the woman, Florence Njimptoh is one
whose achievements should never be ignore. She is worth a woman to celebrate
this week.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa
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