The Emergence of the Corn in the Food Consumption of the Urban Households in the North-Cameroon

The food system of the North-Cameroon is based on cereal mainly millet & sorghum. Nevertheless the increase of the urban population is translated by a growth of the production of corn. To clarify it we analyze the food dynamics of the urban populations by two surveys realized in August, 2007 & January, 2008 on 550 households. The results underline that the increase of the consumption of the corn is important during the lean period. Two explanations are underlined. The first one concerns the limited availability of millet & sorghum during this period of temporary food insecurity. The second is related to the dynamics of innovation of the producers who benefit of higher institutional investments on the corn. Adapted from the source document.