Infos Business of Friday, 22 August 2014

Source: The Sun Newspaper

Agric sector to gulp FCFA 3.35 billion in 7years

To our reliable sources, the Cameroon government has recently signed the detailed programme for Agricultural Development in Africa (PDDAA) pact implemented through NEPAD, and has recently approved the National Agricultural Investment Plan to invest FCFA 3.35 Billion to develop and modernize the agricultural sector within 2014-2020.

Sectors chosen range from the modernization of production infrastructure, management and sustainable use of natural resources, the promotion of collaboration, the development of financing access mechanisms, the development of formalities in the fisheries, forestry, livestock, and plants among others.

The inclusion of Cameroon in the detailed agricultural programme has confirmed the government’s determination to allocate 10% of its public investment budget to the sector, a surge of 7%. 42% of the said sum is to be sourced through borrowings.

This very ambitious programme is to overcome the difficulties faced by Cameroon to realize a production and consumption parity ratio for consumers of basic and important foodstuff like, plantains, maize, cassava, potatoes and others, due to small scale farming and agrarian techniques used by 70% of the population to support life.

According to official statistics, despite its 25% of fertile land and agricultural potentials Cameroon is not yet making the best out of it all.