The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER), Friday, 11th September, 2026, represented by Secretary General Mrs. MBONG Grace on behalf of the Minister, presided over the official signing of a 246.7 million FCFA (376,708 Euros) Protocol Agreement with the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) and the Rice Value Chain Development Project (RVCDP) in the MINADER Conference Hall. Co-funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and AfricaRice, the two-year initiative aims to boost national rice self-sufficiency, drive economic growth, thereby increasing household incomes in Cameroon.
During the event, RVCDP National Coordinator Mr. Muluh G. Nguh expressed gratitude to AfricaRice and the IsDB, while Project Agronomist Mr. Fuchi Thomas presented an overview of the project and protocol scope.
Dr. Baboucarr Manneh, Director General of AfricaRice, commended Cameroon's efforts toward food security, acknowledged the IsDB's support, and reaffirmed AfricaRice's commitment to the partnership.
In her address, Mrs. MBONG Grace emphasized the government's commitment to modernizing agricultural value chains to cut food imports, urging project leaders to execute the agreement diligently to deliver direct benefits to local farmers, processors, and artisans.
Operating through a joint Technical Working Group based in Bamenda, the initiative utilizes a Reverse Linkage mechanism to transfer agricultural technology and expertise across four core pillars:
- National Rice Seed Systems: Enhancing seed production, quality testing, storage, and germplasm conservation.
- Processing & Value Addition: Upgrading post-harvest technologies and skills to reduce losses and improve market quality.
- Local Equipment Fabrication: Training artisans to locally manufacture specialized equipment like rice threshers and GEM parboilers.
- Institutional Technical Backstopping: Providing dedicated support to key partners, including IRAD and UNVDA.
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