Located in the heart of Central Africa, Cameroon is a diverse agro-ecological country, stretching from semiarid Sahel to the extreme north to the rainforest in the south. The country has an area of about 475 000 m² for a population of more than 19.4 million inhabitants. As the main source of income of the country, agriculture represents a quarter of exports and attracts 80 % of the workforce. The products are usually coffee, cocoa, sugar, oil palm, banana, plantain, pineapples, potatoes, onion… The climatic and ecological diversity enjoyed by the country is not only conducive to the development of various plants but is also conducive to the proliferation of various pests that affect the growth and production of crops. Thus, phytosanitary problems are acute in Cameroonian agriculture. Depending on the extent of damage they cause to agricultural crops, some insects and diseases are considered national scourges.

Until 1989, the Cameroon government subsidized the purchase and distribution of pesticides. As a consequence, its consumption was very high. From 1982 to 1992, Cameroon imported an average of 4.6 tonnes of pesticides at a cost estimated at 8 billion CFA francs per year. This consumption declined in 1992 because of the disengagement of the state. However, the recent years have seen an upturn in the sales of pesticides. In 1991, sales of pesticides amounted to 3.6 billion CFA francs, while in 2000 they reached $ 12.2 billion CFA francs.

The increased use of pesticides in agriculture and agro forestry testifies in a first step of the ignorance or lack of sensitivity users have about the dangers of pesticides on health and environment. Indeed, an estimated 90% destruction of the microflora and fauna of a cultivated soil contaminated by pesticides, which creates a vicious circle: the more you use pesticides, the more the soil is exposed and therefore crops that grow but these plants are more fragile and sick to be treated with more pesticides.

About 40% of pesticide applied directly reaches the plant. In the best cases, the plant apparently heals but the pesticide does not disappear. Whole or split of it directly contaminates the food we eat, too often beyond the maximum permitted. The 60% of the remaining dose directly affects the soil after infiltration and runoff are found in the waters of lakes and rivers where they cause continuous damages to living organisms.

Another significant fraction of pesticide evaporates into the atmosphere and travel great distances; it falls very far from the point of origin, thus contaminating the living organisms therein. On the whole, the damage caused by pesticides on ecosystems and humans are very important, but undervalued.

Secondly, the increased use of pesticides is due to ignorance of users on alternatives biological control against pests. In fact, there are alternatives methods already used or tested. These alternatives may overcome or reduce the damage caused to the environment through the use of chemical pesticides. The adoption of these new methods will help reduce investment costs in agricultural production, protection and conservation of biodiversity, better yet it will promote cleaner air and soil protection.