Adapting the Tennessee Valley Authority Development Strategies in the 1930s For Cameroon: A Path Towards Health, Food Security, and Economic Transformation

Abstract

This study explores how development strategies pioneered by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in the 1930s can be adapted to address Cameroon’s ongoing challenges, such as malaria, food insecurity, weak transportation systems, and slow economic growth.
Through historical and comparative analysis, it examines how the TVA used integrated planning combining health initiatives, agricultural reform, electrification, and infrastructure development to transform one of the poorest U.S. regions into a productive economy.
The study argues that Cameroon could achieve similar progress by adopting regional, multi-sectoral frameworks that prioritize local participation, environmental management, and infrastructure modernization to promote sustainable development and self-reliance.