THE REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON:

1. Title THE REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON: AN ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION FOR AGRIBUSINESS INVESTORS Agricultural potentials of Cameroon Potentials for dev't of EDV for local markets and export Presented by Dr. S. Manga Owona At the Cameroon-Angola Agrifood meeting (May 2009)

2. Contents • Natural agricultural potentials of Cameroon(2) • Available dynamic human resources(1) • Enhanced infrastructure for industrial development(3) • A land of peace and political stability(1) • A facilitated foreign investment policy(1) • Scaling-up / propagation(1) • Hybrid seed mass scale productions(1) • Growing / production of fresh products(2) • Industrial transformation of raw materials(1) • Breeding locally for locally grown crop varieties(3) W

3. Agricultural potentials of Cameroon Cameroon is situated in the Gulf of Guinea Surface area: 475,000 sq. km. Population: 16,000,000 Steady water drainage from several main rivers and regular rainfall Leading economy in a region of 30,000,000 people (possibly 95,000,000 people) Revenues from agricultural products made up 42.5% of GDP in 2006 70% of population active in agriculture Agricultural products make up 30 % of export revenue

4. Natural agric potentials of Cameroon Five ecological zones in Cameroon 1- The soudano-sahelian zone (Maroua, Garoua) 2- The high guinea savannah zone (Wakwa – Ngaoundéré) 3- The western high plateau zone (Bambui – Mankon) 4- The humid forest monomodal zone (Ekona) 5- The humid forest bimodal zone (Nkol bisson – Yaoundé) • Information developed in • regional agricultural research centers: • Agronomic history • Potential genetic variation in land races • Climatic • Geological • Hydrology • Ecological • Potential biotic and abiotic stresses

5. Some facts on Cameroon Cameroon Sub-saharan Africa World Total cropland (000 ha), 1999 7160 173572 1501452 Hectares of cropland per 1,000 population, 2006 492 274 251 Arable & Permanent Cropland as a Percent of Total Land Area, 2003 15.10% 7.10% 11.30% Number of tractors, 1997 500 261984 26334690 Percent of GDP Generated from Agricultural Activities, 2006 42.5% 16.5% 5% Agricultural workers as a percentage of the total labor force, 2006 69.70% x x Source: index of agricultural production Not exclusively mentioned the large surface areas, well drained flat lands of mbam division very suited for mechanized agriculture ideal for massive crop Productions as required for growing of bio fuels or seed oil

6. Dynamic / trained human resources Training of staff abroad & locally since independence University Centers trained agronomic / agro food engineers, scientists & technicians since mid 70’s Currently; 7 Universities in Cameroon offer Masters degrees in several fields of agriculture & food transformation industry Cameroon has the highest literacy rate in Africa (Unicef figures) There is therefore enough competent staff in Cameroon Ordinary people are creative and hardworking

7. Dynamic / trained human resources Talking about the ingenious people of Cameroon

8. Land of peace & political stability You hear a lot more about the Indomitable Lions than Cameroon itself

9. Infrastructure for industrial development Cameroon has a coast line of 403 km long with practicable seaports at Douala and Kribi plus one in project at Limbé; thus readily accessible by ship Douala seaport is the major port of entry for imports to Cameroon and the entire central African region including Central African Rep., Chad, & Eq. Guinea Three international airports strategically located at Douala, Yaoundé, & Garoua have facilities for airfreight. In addition, there are over 50 small airports and airstrips, nine of which have permanent-surface runways Regional capitals, industrial/commercial port cities are linked by good roads A railway links the southern to the northern parts and the republic of Chad: goods are distributed from regional warehouses at Ngaoundéré railhead

10. Unique strategic location: geographically, economically, politically Sea route Air routes

11. Infrastructure for industrial development Internet access has been possible in Cameroon since April 1997 An optic telecommunication fiber runs alongside the Chad – Cameroon pipeline; enabling quality access to telephone and internet at high speed to several remote regions of the country Mobile telephone networks & mobile internet cover the entire territory and are accessible to all Electricity and water supply are currently being upgraded to meet new demands Agricultural development sometimes benefits 30 – 40 % budgetary allocations

12. Facilitated foreign investment policies Attractive legislation for foreign investments The government withdraws from production, and concerns itself only with regulations, control, evaluation and supervision of agricultural activities. The state puts in place an appropriate climate for investment in agro-business. The state to ensure that partners of the agricultural sector put in place a mechanism that will guarantee a wider access to agricultural produce, summarily, conditions of better understanding and of achievement of more interdependence and mutual benefit. Economic operators of the agriculture sector are called upon to take their responsibilities at all stages of seed and crop productions. Incentives in these legislature include ZERO tax / custom duty on agricultural machinery & ZERO custom duty on export of agricultural products The results already attained show that the manager and the farmers are already conscious and taking advantage of the new situation

13. Need for foreign investor impetus One hand cannot tie a bundle

14. Ground activities: Scaling up & propagation Vast arable land, various microclimates for propagation and mass production Particularly suitable for companies that seek to: Produce cuttings for export Produce cuttings and root them before exporting Produce cuttings, root them, and cultivate on the spot Grow in Cameroon, sell in the local market or export

15. Ground activities: seed production Suitable climatic conditions and man power for seed production Tomato Pepper Rocket Wild rocket Fenugreek Beets Coriander Mizuna Pakchoi etc.. As well as ornamentals Mass production of oil seeds for bio fuels

16. Ground activities: Growing of fresh products for export Growing of fruit trees e.g.. papaya, oranges, lemon etc Other fruits e.g. pineapple, water melon etc Fresh vegetables for local markets & export e.g. green beans grown in Cameroon & exported to Europe Airfreight facilities with daily flights already exist in Cameroon for freshly produced agric. products

17. Ground activities: Industrial transformation on the spot Investors who can locally transform agricultural raw materials Annually tons of fruits are wasted e.g. oranges, mango, lemon, exotic fruits, pineapples, papaya, etc Local transformation of industrial raw materials from agricultural products e.g. palm nuts, coco nuts, Several other industrial transformers of agricultural products will find cheap raw material in Cameroon and a market for the product in the sub region

18. Breeding locally for locally grown crops Cameroon Sub-Saharan Africa World Average annual fertilizer use, 1999(thousand metric tons) (2003) 50 2124 141360 Intensity (kg per hectare cropland) 7 12 94 Pesticide use, 1996-1999 (kg/ha cropland) 253 350 280 Source: index of agricultural products General lack of information on quality planting material Good planting material could increase yield averagely by 30% Traditional farmers cultivate max. 2 hectares a year Decline in yield often attributed to worsening soil quality Solution often has been using more fertilizers

19. Breeding locally for locally grown crops State impetus to improve crop production via improvement of seed quality • Research objectives were/are to increase crop production and improve the • quality of harvest and also to create high yielding varieties. • The work had/has four stages: • Collection of genetic material for a diversified reservoir of genes; • Creating varieties (land races); • Producing of pre-basic and basic seeds; • Varietal tests in order to evaluate their agronomic potentials. The private sector is now called upon to take over the production, processing, packaging, labeling, promotion and marketing of seed.

20. Breeding locally for locally grown crops • New seed policy • Privatization of production and commercialization of planting material; • Definition of roles of different partners involved in plant material production • and distribution (research, Ministry of Agriculture, private/economic operators); • Putting in place an appropriate institutional set-up (legislation and regulation). • Within this context, the state focuses on regulations, control of quality, training • of seed producers, organization and supervision of seed production and • distribution activities. • University of Yaoundé I offers a Masters degree in seed technology

21. Conclusion Agricultural potentials of Cameroon Cameroon has a great potential to be exploited in agricultural production, seed production, and varietal development • the several agro-ecological zones, • presence of large surface areas of arable for massive crop production • qualified staff / technicians in the area of agricultural research /production, varietal development, seed technology and production • the dynamic and peaceful nature of the population • readily accessible by air & sea, • internal road / rail transportation, telecom, and energy infrastructure • several positive results on varietal improvement at the level of research • impetus of the state and laws for agribusiness investors • area is potentially profitable because of the state withdrawal (liberalization) • strategically located to reach immediate local markets of a couple of million

22. Thank you & Looking forward to welcoming you in Cameroon