It is supported by the Ministry of Finance (Minfi), through its Technical Rehabilitation Commission (CTR).
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Cameroon aims to produce 640,000 tons of cocoa by 2030. To achieve this objective, the Cocoa Development Company (Sodecao), Cameroon’s secular arm in terms of bean production, still has prerequisites to fulfill.
According to official figures, Cameroon loses between 40% and 60% of cocoa plants each year in its seed fields during the dry season, due to excessive heat caused by climate change. Morose statistics which were again recalled on August 29 and 30, 2023 by Jean Claude Eko’o Akouafane, director general of Sodecao.
It was during the reception ceremonies of the water supply project for the irrigation of nurseries in 20 outdoor units of Sodecao, in the cities of Yoko (cubitainer of 5,000 liters) and Ntui (cubitainer of 5,000 liters ), both departments of Mbam-et-Kim, Center region. The said project is supported by the Ministry of Finance (Minfi) through its Technical Rehabilitation Commission (CTR).
In addition to the hydration of the nurseries, the project aims on a large scale, the development of new varieties of cocoa trees that are resilient to climatic variations. This new watering system will also help boost the production of seedlings in Cameroon’s production basins, which are the Centre, South, East and Littoral regions.
In addition to the problem of water supply in Sodecao nurseries, the sector is also experiencing the problem of aging plantations and producers, the poor quality of plant material and the difficulties in obtaining seedlings, among other things.
Jean Daniel Obama at Ntui
Jean Claude Eko’o Akouafane, Managing Director of Sodecao
« This project will bring development in these administrative districts »
The question of water remains fundamental in our nurseries. Life is not only about humans but also about plants. Without water there is no life, there is no agriculture. It is therefore important that we have a source of water in quantity in order to promote our cocoa.
With this new material, we think we will be able to have more extensive nurseries and which will be able to offer more and more plants and made available to producers. This is why we invite those responsible to do their due diligence.
This project brings the development of cocoa-culture in these administrative districts. All the ingredients are there for us to start producing cocoa-culture. You have seen the spaces that we are going to cover with these tools that are being put in place because there is no agriculture without water.
Dieudonné Annir Tina, mayor of the municipality of Yoko
« We want to support the 20 villages bordering the communal forest »
The commune is engaged in agroforestry initiatives. We therefore plan to create teak plantations and cocoa plantations. For the moment we have started with teak and seeds that come from Malaysia. The real problem is that we cut more trees than we produce. In 10-15 or 20 years from now, we won’t be here, but allow other people to enjoy what we do today.
These are trees with high added value, but as the duration is very long, the local populations must have income, so in the very short term, we are going to alternate teak plantations and cocoa cultivation. The cocoa production statistics here in Yoko are rather diluted by losses of cocoa farmers who are at the limit with certain neighboring towns which I will not mention here.
Last week, the district delegate for agriculture told us that we are already among the top two or three in the Center region as far as cocoa production is concerned. We have several complaints addressed to the Director General of Sodecao. We want to support the 20 villages bordering the communal forest in the creation of cocoa nurseries as prescribed in the operational plan of the GIZ (German cooperation Editor’s note). We also want to find additional offices because the city of Yoko is very large.
Interview by Jean Daniel Obama
