CAMEROON – Cameroon and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have signed a USD 2.7 million agreement to support smallholder farmers and herders in the country.
The deal, worth 1.617 billion CFA francs, aims to strengthen food security in key regions.
The agreement was signed on April 22 in Yaoundé by Cameroon’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gabriel Mbairobe, and FAO’s Sub-Regional Coordinator for Central Africa, Athman Mravili. It was witnessed by UN Director-General Qu Dongyu during his official visit to Cameroon.
This partnership aims to enhance the productive capacities of smallholder farmers, covering the Eastern, Adamawa, Northern, and Far North regions.
The funding will be divided into three main components: agricultural production support, livestock and fisheries development, and technical assistance for sustainable management practices.
The first part of the agreement focuses on developing small-scale agricultural production units. Nearly 3,950 input kits will be distributed across banana-plantain, yam, cassava, and vegetable sectors in the Eastern region.
The second part involves supporting small-scale livestock, aquaculture, and fisheries production. Around 900 production input kits will be distributed in various sectors, including dairy, traditional poultry, broiler chicken, pork, small ruminants, and honey production. Additionally, 150,000 traditional poultry will be vaccinated.
The final component provides technical assistance for sustainable management practices. This includes training 8,000 beneficiaries in climate-smart agriculture and strengthening the technical skills of 4,100 herders.
It also involves establishing 20 fodder fields and marking 20 km of transhumance corridors in the Eastern region.
Gabriel Mbairobe emphasized that agriculture is a top priority for Cameroon as it seeks to improve its food security and nutritional stability. “Cameroon has faced significant challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine crisis, climate shocks, and conflicts between farmers and herders,” Mbairobe stated.
He noted that around 3.4 million people in Cameroon will need humanitarian assistance in 2024, with 2.3 million classified as the most vulnerable.
This agreement aligns with the Emergency Project to Combat the Food Crisis (PULCCA), which receives USD 100 million in funding from the World Bank. The project aims to address short-term impacts of food and nutrition insecurity while building long-term resilience in targeted regions.
FAO continues its commitment to improving agricultural practices, nutrition, and environmental sustainability in Africa. Its ongoing projects focus on sustainable agrifood production, equitable food systems, climate action, and resilience.
Other FAO initiatives in 2024 include FAO’s humanitarian response plan for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the 33rd Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Africa, emphasizing the need to build resilience against climate shocks, intensify African aquaculture, and revive underutilized crops.
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