Projets de développement financés par la banque mondiale au Cameroun et développement local : cas du projet de développement de l’élevage chez les Baka de Bifolone

Abstract

The interest in the subject “Development projects financed by the World Bank in Cameroon and local development: the case of the Livestock Development Project among the Baka of Bifolone”, stems from the observation that International Financial Institutions and financial and development partners are investing in improving the living conditions of populations and reducing poverty. The impact of these various projects on local development remains mixed, particularly in the indigenous Baka communities. This raises questions about the participation of local populations in the implementation of projects in their regard. How to understand the participation of the Baka of Bifolone in the development process of their locality through the implementation of PRODEL? Was formulated. This question was underpinned by the following hypothesis: the Livestock Development Project in the Bifolone village as a local development project, does not take into account the participation of the beneficiaries at all stages of the process. The verification of this hypothesis was carried out on one hand, with the support of two theoretical approaches, namely the dynamist theory of Georges BALANDIER which made it possible to analyse the changes that occurred following the setting up of the breeding project among the Baka, and the theory of participatory local development by Gérard CONAC and al, has made it possible to assess the level of participation of the Baka population of Bifolone in the implementation of PRODEL. On the other hand, the use of qualitative data collection tools and techniques (documentary observation, direct observation, interviews and focus group discussions) made it possible to collect information from a targeted population obtained by a dual model sampling: the snowball sampling method and a convenience sampling. The analysis of the data collected was carried out by means of content analysis followed by translation exercise, then the transcription, and then entering them into the Word software. The results of this research reveal several factors that contributed to the implementation of PRODEL in Bifolone. These are political, economic, social, cultural, and environmental factors. Moreover, with regard to the analyses, a weak appropriation of the project by the populations can be seen. Hence, there is little improvement in their living conditions.