This action aims, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Minader), to boost the production of this vegetable.
Thanks to the financial support of German cooperation, the amount of which has not been disclosed, MINADER has just completed the rehabilitation works of the Bansoa seed farm in the western region of Cameroon.
According to details made public by Minader, this company occupies an area of 30 hectares, half of which will be used for the realization of the potato project. In addition, 5 other hectares are already being developed for the propagation of seeds of this food crop, in addition to the associated infrastructure.
The commitment of the Cameroonian government to boost potato production is justified by the fact that, according to Minister Gabriel Mbairobe, “although we consider that the potato is a priority crop, we note that this sector is confronted with several constraints including the lack of quality plant material and the high cost of seeds”. For the member of the Cameroonian government, “the rehabilitation of this farm will then make it possible to solve these problems”.
As a reminder, and according to official sources at Minader, “for 10 years, depending on the mild climate, national potato production has fluctuated between 220,000 and 400,000 tonnes. It is well below the national demand, which often reaches one million tons per year”. ”.
In addition, data from the Green Innovation Center Project for the Agri-Food Sector (GIZ-Procisa) reveal that “in Cameroon, 80% of the potato is produced in the West and North-West regions “. The same sources place the Adamaoua region in third position among the producing regions of this commodity.