From Soldier to Farmer

In Africa aquaculture accounts for only 2.7% of global production while over 82% of their total fish production comes from capture fisheries. Many of the key species for food security are at maximum sustainable levels and with climate change impacts on marine capture fisheries projected to be more significant in tropical regions like Africa coupled with an increasing rate of population growth higher than fish food supply, aquaculture expand is seen as the key to food security in the region*.

Cameroonian soldiers who were injured during the war against Boko Haram have been retrained as farmers. The Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) an elite unit of the Cameroonian Defense Force started this initiative to ensure new occupation opportunities for their wounded soldiers in aquaculture and agriculture. The food produced during the training are consumed by their comrades in arms engaged in the battlefields.

Lieutenant Ibrahima Djekaibe, commander of the depot company of Limbe was wounded by a mine while on patrol and now walks with a prosthesis. He and the other student were reminded during their graduation ceremony were by Deputy Inspector General of the BIR Mr Onambele Mendouga, that the BIR emblem is the shield of the Cameroon people and although wounded they can continue to bring food security to the nation.

*FAO State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture2020