Institutional Barriers to Multi-sectorial Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in Cameroon

There are dimensions to social and cultural systems, including different institutions that are important components that facilitate policies into more collective actions. The institutions relate to different processes that shape the cultural, social, political and economic relationships in the society to permit Cameroon to realize her climate change agenda. National and local institutions in Cameroon are especially very important as they are the particular system of resource governance in the country, which gives the ability for these institutions to formulate, vote and plan for actions according to the global text. Local institutions are also facilitators in the chain of command between central governments and local farming communities who are extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change given their subsistence nature of agricultural production coupled with low economic status. Literature from previous works brings to attention that the obstacles or challenges, termed barriers, can impede, delay or divert the adaptation process. The different dimensions of these barriers can be identified including amongst others institutional barriers that are factors which impede the different institutions from facilitating society's ability to adapt to climate change. This can be seen to be the factors of information, communication, technology and or leadership. For instance, at national levels, policies and programs on climate change are yet to be fully mainstreamed throughout the planning networks, municipal councils, ministries, NGOs and traditional settings. This missing strength in the programs and policies to strengthen climate change advocacy is a call for concern. There are missing roles and responsibilities to enforce effective climate change policies in the planning and implementation stages due to the structure of the governing bodies in charge of climate change in the country. There is need for improved actions and effectiveness to facilitate adaptation to adverse effects of climate change.