The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Lazare Essimi Menyi has launched the 2015 farming season in Buea, South West Region of Cameroon.

Farmers of the South West Region and six other regions of the country (North West, East, Centre, South, Littoral and West) attended the official ceremony at the Independence Square in Buea.

Minister Essimi Menyi while presiding over the launch challenged all farmers to increase efforts and ensure food security in the country this year. He revealed that the South West Region will be a key player in the country’s agricultural sector.

The event that was supposed to be the launching of the 2015 farming season, turned out to be a tangible illustration of the commitment of Agriculture and Rural Development Minister to make available high resilient seeds that will considerably boost agricultural production in the country.

From four tonnes of improved maize seeds supplied to farmers of the South West Region in 2013, the Muyuka Mobile Maize Seed Processing Unit will make available 600 tonnes of maize seeds to be supplied to farmers of the South West Region alone at no cost.

Minister Essimi Menyi pointed out that the second-generation agriculture is cherished by the government hence farmers are expected to add value to their products through commercial production, transformation and marketing.

He used the occasion to announce that new high yielding cassava cuttings, coffee and cocoa seeds, as well as plantain suckers produced by IRAD Ekona will also be supplied to farmers in the country for free. He therefore urged farmers to register in cooperatives in order to benefit from the services of regional tractor units already setup in the country.

The minister also pledged that his ministry will network with other competent ministries to remedy the poor state of farm-to-market roads which makes the evacuation of crops from farms to markets difficult.

To that effect, the minister promised the construction of a regional market in Mamfe, following the completion of the Kumba-Mamfe road. The regional market according to the minister will serve as a main income generator for farmers of the Cemac region and West African neighbours notably Nigeria.

On his part, Mr.Akama Bao Makia, South West Farmers Representative, said, “the South West Region has always been believed to be in warmth whereas, it is shivering in cold”. According to him, the South West has for some time now been on her own. He lauded the farmer pointing out achievement they have made despite the neglect.

Some of the notable achievement mentioned include, the July 2014 International Day of Cooperatives organized thanks to support from SOWEDA, PUMPI and the establishment of two Coffee and Cocoa Cooperative Unions in the region.

He however thanked the minister for inaugurating the maize seed unit in Muyuka and promised to utilize the unit to boost agricultural production.

Mr. Akama Bao promised to work towards encouraging more youths to embrace agriculture and agro-entrepreneurship.

The minister and his entourage also gave prizes of farming seeds, fertilizers, sprayers, insecticides, pesticides, and a host of others to ten (10) farmers from the six divisions of the South West Region.