Tantoh Dieudonne Nforba, founder of the Farmer Tantoh Foundation, made a public presentation of his prestigious EARTHNA Prize Award, which he received from Doha-Qatar. The presentation took place on April 30, 2025, at the Farmer Tantoh Eco-Village and Resource Training Center at Upstation in Bamenda.
Farmer Tantoh's consistency and persistence over the past 29 years earned him the prestigious EARTHNA Prize Award, after being shortlisted as a nominee from 100 selected countries worldwide, he emerged as overall first. His recognition is a testament to his tireless efforts in promoting environmental sustainability and empowering local communities. The public presentation of his award was a way of acknowledging the grassroots where he started his journey of environmental protection and water conservation.
As a Cameroonian environmental activist specializing in water conservation and organic farming, Farmer Tantoh's journey began over 29 years ago when he contracted typhoid fever and realized the importance of clean water. "I've been working at the grassroots for 29 years since I was a teenager in high school," Farmer Tantoh said. "My passion has always been to ensure that we can be the change we want to see in our community by stopping blaming people. We can blame ourselves for our failures. So now when I realized that it is very necessary to be the change that you want to see in our community, that was when I started working so hard. And when I contracted typhoid at some point when I was in Agric School, and something told me that I need to be the solution. And that is how I started doing a lot of research on water resources. And I started building springs and protecting springs in the mountains, building wells for clean water." Tantoh said
Farmer Tantoh speaking to The Press
Farmer Tantoh's dedication to environmental sustainability has earned him several accolades, including the African International Achievers Award in 2011 and the Ashoka Fellowship in 2012. His foundation has hosted over 100 international volunteers, furthering his mission of grassroots environmental empowerment. Through his work, he has constructed water catchments, taught water protection techniques, and sensitized communities on the importance of water conservation. "Access to safe drinking water is a universal human right and that is why my service is to ensure that people should have safe drinking water. Yeah, so currently I'm working in about eight communities where most of my water projects have taken place like in Nkambe in Donga Mantung, we have a water project that we did in Sisia quarter, we built a 20,000 litres water reservoir, We have a water project in Mambu-Bafut that we did there and currently we are doing some water projects in Nwa, especially in very remote villages where it is not even accessible. And that's where we go to such villages and let the people know that we can solve your water problems." Tantoh said
The Farmer Tantoh Foundation's objective is to sensitize the population on water conservation techniques, especially in remote areas where access to clean water is limited. According to Farmer Tantoh, despite the abundance of water in the Northwest region, many communities lack the knowledge on how to preserve and conserve it. To address this, his foundation aims to train persons to represent the foundation and carry out its activities in local communities, who will be called fellows."We don't have water shortage. We did an analysis in the whole northwest and we realized that there is enough water, but many people lack the knowledge on water conservation techniques. So that's why we are advocating and sensitizing communities on water conservation principles. We have seven months of rainy season. If we have storage facilities, rainwater harvesting, if we do recharge facilities around our homes, we send water in the aquifer. Even in the dry season, there will be enough water in the aquifer to pump like what we are doing here at the Eco Village. So we don't have water shortage. Our problem is lack of knowledge on water conservation techniques." Farmer Tantoh told the press
Farmer Tantoh's remarkable journey and achievements serve as an inspiration to individuals and organizations working towards environmental sustainability and water conservation. His foundation's work in sensitizing communities on water conservation techniques and promoting grassroots environmental empowerment is crucial in addressing the water needs of rural communities. As Farmer Tantoh continues to champion environmental sustainability, his story highlights the impact one person can have in creating positive change in their community and beyond.
By
Munya Charles Babila
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