Consequences of fire in agricultural sector in Banga Bakundu, Cameroon: A review

Abstract

Genesis of fire is tied to the origin of plants, and has been a closed companion to human for land preparation, harvesting and hunting. Fire is caused by natural phenomena and human activities which can either be deliberate or accidental. In the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), smallholder farmers are the breadbasket of the economy. In Banga Bakundu, farmers practiced slash and burn method of land preparation for the production of annual and perennial crops for home consumption and sales. This review was aimed at identifying the causes of fire and its consequences in the agricultural sectors and propose solutions to abate the disaster of fire so as to promote sustainable agricultural system in the study area, developing countries and the world at large. Small-scale farmers need relatively enough individuals in the farmland before deliberate burning and should precede with the creation of fire breaks at the edges of the farmland. Deep containers are good for holding charcoal during brooding and can prevent fire outbreak from charcoal spark. Meanwhile, burning is responsible for several premature deaths, psychological stressors and also causes several health complications including cancer, cardiovascular diseases etc. The government of Cameroon needs to intensify sensitization on the negative externalities of bush burning to the environment and offering of health assistance to farming communities.