Cover_Rebuilding West Africas Food Potential

Chapter 4. The case of Cameroon 123

• Adopt and implement proactive national policies through increased national budgets
  allocated to the agricultural sector, in accordance with the Maputo Agreement of 2003
  and the CAADP. Cuts in public funding for agriculture over the past two decades have resulted in
  a significant decrease in agricultural performance in the CEMAC zone. However, it should be noted
  that the agricultural sector presents the best prospects for Africa to initiate capital accumulation,
  productivity gain, growth and multiplier effect throughout the economy.


• Reforming land tenure to allow access to land, especially in rural areas and for women and
  young people.

The following table summarizes current policies in some countries of CEMAC.

Table 2. Overview of agricultural policies in some countries of the CEMAC zone

Country Issues and Challenges /

Policy Framework

Areas of intervention Action Plan

Chad Issues and Challenges:

Sustainable development of rural

production: growth of competi-

tive value chains by developing

marketing and competitiveness

of agro-silvo-pastoral products.

Strategic Framework:

National strategy for rural devel-

opment with the aim to increase

the production of the rural

economy in a sustainable way

while protecting the environment

and strengthening human and

institutional capacities.

1. Create and maintain a
   sustainable growth in agri-
   cultural production


2. Support rural organizations


3. Develop emerging sectors


4. Improve natural resource
   management


5. Decentralize provision of
   agricultural services


6. Improve the public sector’s
   efficiency


7. Improve access to basic
   services for the population
   and the rural economy
   
   
   • Increased investment in hydro-agricul-
     tural and pastoral infrastructure
   
   
   • Expansion of access to quality agricul-
     tural inputs and equipment
   
   
   • Extension of access to quality support
     services for crop and livestock farmers
   
   
   • Extension of access to credit and
     suitable financial services
   
   
   • Diversification of agricultural production,
   
   
   • Improving the functioning of distri-
     bution channels and markets for
     products,
   
   
   • Development of emerging sectors
   
   
   • Crop protection
   
   
   
   

Central

African

Republic

Issues and Challenges:

The rural sector is the country’s

backbone for economic develop-

ment that will strengthen poverty

reduction, the fight against

food insecurity and vulnerability,

economic growth and national

reconstruction.

Strategic Framework:

Rural sector strategy oriented

toward agricultural development

1. Intensification and diver-
   sification of agricultural
   production


2. Development of profes-
   sional agricultural organi-
   zations and sectors


3. Promoting coordinated
   development of local
   communities and imple-
   mentation of development
   infrastructure


4. Implementation of institu-
   tional reforms in the agri-
   cultural and rural sector
   
   
   • Improve the productivity of farms,
     through livestock, fisheries and forestry
     rational intensification
   
   
   • Improve the performance of farms
     through efficient production systems
   
   
   • Develop agricultural research
   
   
   • Restructure and reorganize rural stake-
     holders and farmer organizations
   
   
   • Strengthen the human, financial and
     material capacities of farmer organiza-
     tions
   
   
   • Support increased stakeholders’ partici-
     pation to the Chamber of Agriculture
   
   
   • Open up rural areas
   
   
   • Establish the infrastructure to support
     production, distribution and marketing
     and reduce vulnerability factors linked to
     agricultural activities
   
   
   • Strengthen capacities for planning,
     research, advisory support, training and
     communication institutions