Cameroon like most sub-Saharan African countries, is currently facing one of its most serious food crises. According to the World Food Program (2017) the number of food-insecure households in Cameroon is estimated at around 16% (about 3.9 million people), of which 1% are in a situation of severe food insecurity. More than 50% of Cameroonians which affects several aspects of their lives – from health to education, living conditions and work among others. 37.7 percent of people are severely impoverished( wfp.org , 2023).
Post-harvest losses contribute significantly to food insecurity and affect the nutritional status and health of populations(mdph.com, 2023).
World Food Programme provides unconditional life-saving food assistance to populations affected by shocks such as violent conflict and the effects of climate change and pandemics, including refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees and vulnerable host communities in Adamawa, East, Far North, North, North West and South West regions. WFP’s support ensures safe access to adequate and nutritious food during and after crises, while supporting recovery from and building resilience to shocks(wfp.org, 2023). 
    Fruit waste is a significant problem in Africa, with an estimated 40-50% of all fruits and vegetables produced on the continent being lost or wasted. The situation is not different in Cameroon and the Njombe penja Municipality in particular were almost half of the unsold fruits are littered in the Municipality. Njombe penja Municipality is made up of about 30000 inhabitants with majority persons being farmers. It is found in Littoral Region of Cameroon. It is one of the major hub in the production of fruits in the Littoral Region and Cameroon.
A number of factors account for fruit being waste in Njombe-Penja Municipality including:

 1) Poor infrastructure and logistics, which make it difficult to transport and store fresh produce efficiently.

2)  Lack of access to markets, particularly for small-scale farmers in the Njombe penja Municipality. 

3) High temperatures and humidity in Njombe penja accelerate spoilage.

4) Some consumers prefer  imported fruits  which are often seen as being of higher quality.

The fruit waste problem has a number of negative consequences for the farmers involved and the Municipality as seen below
   1) It leads to economic losses for farmers and other actors in the food supply chain.
2) It also reduces the availability of nutritious food for people, particularly those living in poverty. 
3) Additionally, fruit waste contributes to climate change by releasing methane, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere.

There are a number of things that can be done to reduce fruit waste in Njombe-Penja. These include:

1) Improving infrastructure and logistics, such as roads, storage facilities, and transportation systems. The Council should constantly maintain the earth roads in the Njombe penja Municipality and fruit farmers should join microfinance establishments like MUPICI,Caisse Populaire Coopérative de Penja (CAPOCOP) in order to raise money to buy storage facilities for their fruits.

2) Providing better access to markets for small-scale farmers. Farmers should have a comfortable place in which they can sell their fruits with little taxes/income Levy on them by the Council. The market should be neat and accessible to all

3) The Government of Cameroon should invest in research in order to develop new technologies for preserving and processing fruits or better still research results already done should be transmitted to farmers through the Council.

4)  Educating consumers about the importance of reducing food waste and the benefits of eating local produce. 

A number of initiatives are already underway to address the fruit waste problem in the Njombe penja Municipality For example, the farmers have grouped themselves into associations/cooperative to seek solutions to their common problems. Additionally, the farmers are committed into harvesting what can be sold on a daily basis.

 A) Using fruit waste for biogas production

The actual creation of biogas from food waste takes place in  purpose built ‘reactors’ (vessels). Once the food waste and organic waste scraps are added to the reactor, the bacteria inside the reactor works in stages to break down the waste, creating a chain of chemical reactions that end in biogas formation (as well as digestate runoff in liquid and solid form (homebiogas, 2023).  The production process happens in two steps which are ready materials preparation and anaerobic biodegradation process by the microorganism to maintain methane gas. Methane gas is gas that contains an atom carbon and four hydrogen atoms (H) which is flammable(matec.conference.org,2023).

   Conclusively, by taking action to reduce fruit waste through the production of biogas, the Njombe penja Municipality would improve food security, reduce poverty and protect the environment.

         References 

1) . Payne, M.E.; Steck, S.E.; George, R.R.; Steffens, D.C. Fruit, Vegetable, and Antioxidant Intakes Are Lower in Older Adults with
Depression. J. Acad. Nutr. Diet. 2012, 112, 2022–2027. [CrossRef]

2). Kereth, G.A.; Lyimo, M.; Mbwana, H.A.; Mongi, R.J.; Ruhembe, C.C. Assessment of Post-harvest handling practices: Knowledge
and losses of fruits in Bagamoyo District of Tanzania. Food Sci. Qual. Manag. 2013, 6088, 8–16.

3). Hailu, G.; Derbew, B. Extent, Causes and Reduction Strategies of Postharvest Losses of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables—A Review. J.
4) World Food Programme: Global Operational Response Plan. https://www.google.com/search?source=android-browser&q=WFP%20provides%20unconditional%20life-saving%20food%20assistance%20to%20populations%20affected%20by%20shocks%20such%20as%20vi, 25/9/2023.