Women in Action: Meet Florence Njimptoh; The Astute Rural Woman

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. 

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