Cameroon has commissioned a new cassava processing unit in Minkoa, Centre region, as part of a national import substitution strategy targeting value addition and reduced post-harvest losses. The facility is operated by the Central Agropastoral Cooperative Society (Socoapace).
Authorities estimate that post-harvest losses in cassava can reach up to 40%, affecting both producers and processors. To expand transformation capacity, the government plans to build 200 processing units nationwide between 2026 and 2030.
Cassava is cultivated across all ten regions of Cameroon, with annual production estimated at more than 6 million tons in recent years. Despite this scale, average yields remain between 10 and 15 tons per hectare on smallholder farms, compared with around 40 tons per hectare in Nigeria, Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The government has set a target of 25 tons per hectare, supported by improved planting material and more intensive agronomic practices.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has provided Socoapace with production inputs, including two tricycles. Officials are promoting in vitro cassava plantlets to replace traditional cuttings in order to improve productivity.
Annual government funding allocated to the sector amounts to approximately CFA 1.5 billion, equivalent to roughly US$2.5 million. Additional financial support is expected to be extended to cooperative members in Minkoa.
The processing unit is located on a 500 square metre site and is equipped with semi-modern machinery to convert cassava roots into starch and flour. An oven has also been installed for bakery products using cassava flour. Initial output is being supplied to local markets, and the cooperative has secured starch orders from laundry and dry-cleaning businesses in Yaoundé and nearby areas.
Socoapace is largely composed of women, reflecting policy objectives aimed at increasing rural employment for women and youth.
During the inauguration, products including bread, brioche, and biscuits made from cassava flour were presented. Cassava derivatives such as flour, starch, chips, and gari remain central to domestic consumption and food supply chains in Cameroon.
Source: Business in Cameroon
