Twenty-seven agricultural trainees have returned to their production zones across Cameroon following a ten-day residential programme at the Kribi Plantain Sector Incubation Centre. The deployment marks the first operational phase of a government-backed tripartite partnership focused on the plantain value chain.
The initiative follows the signing of a framework agreement between the National Association of Plantain Sector Actors (FBPC), Green Springs Digital University Institute (GSDUI), and Empowerher Tech Foundation (EHTF), under the supervision of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gabriel Mbaïrobé. The agreement is intended to support youth incubation and integration into plantain-related activities.
The signing ceremony, held on 27 March, included the distribution of 27 starter kits to participants. These kits contained digital learning materials, training videos, and equipment such as hole-digging machines. Participants were deployed to the Kribi incubation centre for practical training before returning to their production areas.
For the pilot phase involving 27 participants, a minimum turnover of approximately US$75,000 is projected over a 10-month period. The programme also includes an industrialisation phase, with plans to establish small-scale processing units within academic campuses. These units are intended to process plantains into products such as chips and flour.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, plantain accounts for around 16 per cent of rural producers' incomes and contributes approximately 4.5 per cent to agricultural GDP in Cameroon. It is the fourth staple crop after maize, rice, and cassava.
The sector involves more than 700,000 participants nationwide, with over 92 per cent classified as smallholder farmers. Production takes place throughout the year, with seasonal peaks between November and March. Cameroon cultivates an estimated 150 plantain varieties.
Average yields in smallholder systems range between four and seven tons per hectare, compared to potential yields of 15 to 20 tons per hectare when recommended practices are applied. Post-harvest losses are estimated at between 35 per cent and 40 per cent of total production due to limitations in storage, processing, and logistics.
Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) indicate that plantain remains a key food crop across Central and West Africa, with Cameroon among the main producers. The World Bank identifies value chain development and agro-processing as factors linked to improvements in productivity and rural incomes.
The incubation programme forms part of ongoing efforts to address production constraints, reduce losses, and develop market opportunities through processing.
Source: Business in Cameroon
