From Farm to Plate

FASA ensures the Health of Cameroonians

Dschang,UDs/SIC-08/04/25.Thanks to the HD4A project, the University of Dschang is training youth, supporting orphanages, and establishing school gardens to change eating habits from an early age.

What if the fight against malnutrition started in the classroom? That’s the bold vision of the HealthyDiets4Africa (HD4A) project, in which the University of Dschang plays a key role. During the recent consortium workshop that took place from the 24 to 29 March 2025, FASA opened its doors to more than 40 researchers and partners for an immersion into the tangible solutions being implemented in Cameroon.

From school gardens in Bafou and Bansoa, to youth training at the AVTC (Agricultural Vocational Training Center), the goal is clear: to equip children, orphans, and young entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills needed to eat well and produce better.

According to Professor Assam Assam, Dean of FASA, “Nutrition education is a priority. It’s not enough to produce food—we must also learn how to consume it in a balanced way.”

At the AVTC, over 530 young people have already been trained, with some launching their own agrifood initiatives. In partner high schools, 600 students are engaged in assessing the project’s impact on their health, through educational gardens and guided interviews.

The results are promising: orphanages are now able to process their own agricultural products, while agri-business training programs are being developed. For Professor Frei Michael, international coordinator of the project, “This holistic approach is the only way to sustainably influence dietary behavior.”

By engaging directly with the field, the University of Dschang offers a shining example of a civic-minded university—where agriculture becomes a driver of social transformation./JMK