The Programme for the Improvement of Competitiveness of Family Agro-pastoral Farms, known by its French acronym as ACEFA, has offered 4 pick-up Toyota vehicles and 60 motorbikes to field supervisors and field extension technicians of the ACEFA projects, in the Upper Nkam Division in the West Region and Lebialem Division in the South West Region.

It also offered financial support worth FCFA 123 million to some 26 farmers groups in the Bamboutos Division of the West Region. The Donga Mantung Division of the North West Region also benefitted from two vehicles, 34 motorbikes and FCFA 60.3 billion.

The gifts were handed over to the field supervisors and Agriculture and Livestock Technicians by the National Coordinator of ACEFA, Dr.Bouba Moumini on 28, August 2015, in Bafoussam, in a ceremony jointly presided at by the Regional Delegates of MINADER and MINEPIA, Martin Tazanou, and Motsebo.

Dr.Bouba, revealed that the supervisors and field technicians in Lebialem Division, that is entering into the ACEFA programme for the first time and those of Upper Nkam will use the facilities to provide technical and expert knowledge as well as counseling to the grassroots producer groups or farmers. He said such assistance to the farmers will help improve their production capacities and better standard of living.

ACEFA National Coordinator said the programme that is being financed by the French debt relief development contract (C2D) offers financial assistance to agriculture and livestock producers, infrastructures and urban development, health and vocational training, with1,592 projects estimated at FCFA 6.5 billion to be finance in 2015.

The Regional Delegate of Agriculture for the West Region, Tazanou Martin, said the major objective of the government of Cameroon and its development partners is achieving economic growth and improving the wellbeing of the local population. He called on the beneficiaries to avoid risk bearing behaviours by using the equipment for their personal or selfish interest. The ceremony was attended by the Regional Delegate of Agriculture and rural development of the Southwest Region, Enang James Enang.

The ACEFA program develops family-run agro-pastoral farm enterprises through the improvement of their technical and economic management, scaling up of the quality of services provided by producer organizations to members, and the professionalization of farmers, livestock producers and fishermen. It is also produces wealth in rural areas in order to create jobs, maintain natural heritage and strengthen social cohesion.