soil classes: forest soil (si mefane), fallow or pre-forestry soil (si bikorogo), marshy
soil (si elobi) and hill soil (si minkol). The second system is based on four different
soil colours: brown soil (avié si), black soil (evindi si), mixed black–brown soil
(evindi-avié si) and grey soil (nselek si). All of these forest soil types are perceived to
be highly fertile. Based on the perceptions of soil fertility, each soil class is related to
a particular agricultural cropping system (Table 10.5).
Household surveys (30 respondents) also suggest that the local soil classification
influences the selection of forestland for cropping (Table 10.5). For example,
respondents considered black soil (evindi si) good for all cropping systems, with
all (100%) indicating them as suitable for cocoa-plantain cropping systems and
tomato farms. Other farmers consider black soil suitable for plantain, cassava,
cocoyam and maize (61%) or Cucumercopsis mannii (ngon), plantain and cocoyam
systems (78%) and mixed crop systems (70%). On the other hand, brown soil (avie
si) is less frequently associated with agricultural systems such as plantain, cassava,
Table 10.4 Soil classification system and perceptions of soil fertility
Category Classification
Local
name
Perceived
soil
fertility
Perceived crop suitability
Respondents
(%)
Land use Forest soil
Si
mefane
High
Cucumeropsis, plantain
and cocoa agroforesty
systems
100
Fallow soil
Si
bikorogo
Low to
high
Mixed food crop systems
85
Swamp soil
Si elobi
High
Food crop systems
85
Hill soil
Si
minkol
High
Several farming systems
75
Color
Black soil
Evindi si High
Several farming systems
85
Grey soil
Nselek si Low
Less used for cropping
80
Brown soil
Avie si
High
Mixed food crop and agroforestry systems
75
Mixed
brown–black
soil
Evindiavie si
Low
Used by community members that do not have
available land
65
Table 10.5 Appropriate agricultural land uses in relation to local soil classes
Agricultural land use
Local soil classes (% responses)
Brown soil
(avie si)
Black soil
(evindi si)
Black–brown soils
(evindi-avie si)
Sandy soils
(nselek si)
Cocoa-plantain systems
0
100
0
0
Plantain, cassava, cocoyam and
maize systems
39
61
0
0
C. mannii (melon seed), plantain and cocoyam systems
19
78
3
0
Tomato farms
0
100
0
0
Mixed food crop systems
22
70
5
3
10 Forest–Agriculture in the Centre–South Region of Cameroon: How Does. . .
329
soil (si elobi) and hill soil (si minkol). The second system is based on four different
soil colours: brown soil (avié si), black soil (evindi si), mixed black–brown soil
(evindi-avié si) and grey soil (nselek si). All of these forest soil types are perceived to
be highly fertile. Based on the perceptions of soil fertility, each soil class is related to
a particular agricultural cropping system (Table 10.5).
Household surveys (30 respondents) also suggest that the local soil classification
influences the selection of forestland for cropping (Table 10.5). For example,
respondents considered black soil (evindi si) good for all cropping systems, with
all (100%) indicating them as suitable for cocoa-plantain cropping systems and
tomato farms. Other farmers consider black soil suitable for plantain, cassava,
cocoyam and maize (61%) or Cucumercopsis mannii (ngon), plantain and cocoyam
systems (78%) and mixed crop systems (70%). On the other hand, brown soil (avie
si) is less frequently associated with agricultural systems such as plantain, cassava,
Table 10.4 Soil classification system and perceptions of soil fertility
Category Classification
Local
name
Perceived
soil
fertility
Perceived crop suitability
Respondents
(%)
Land use Forest soil
Si
mefane
High
Cucumeropsis, plantain
and cocoa agroforesty
systems
100
Fallow soil
Si
bikorogo
Low to
high
Mixed food crop systems
85
Swamp soil
Si elobi
High
Food crop systems
85
Hill soil
Si
minkol
High
Several farming systems
75
Color
Black soil
Evindi si High
Several farming systems
85
Grey soil
Nselek si Low
Less used for cropping
80
Brown soil
Avie si
High
Mixed food crop and agroforestry systems
75
Mixed
brown–black
soil
Evindiavie si
Low
Used by community members that do not have
available land
65
Table 10.5 Appropriate agricultural land uses in relation to local soil classes
Agricultural land use
Local soil classes (% responses)
Brown soil
(avie si)
Black soil
(evindi si)
Black–brown soils
(evindi-avie si)
Sandy soils
(nselek si)
Cocoa-plantain systems
0
100
0
0
Plantain, cassava, cocoyam and
maize systems
39
61
0
0
C. mannii (melon seed), plantain and cocoyam systems
19
78
3
0
Tomato farms
0
100
0
0
Mixed food crop systems
22
70
5
3
10 Forest–Agriculture in the Centre–South Region of Cameroon: How Does. . .
329