Forum looks to increase value of cassava farming in Central Africa
Ministers of agriculture and rural development from Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Gabon are optimistic that agriculture could transform the region into a semi-industrial economy, with cassava being at the centre of the sector.
The biennial forum aims at bringing together relevant individuals and institutions in the cassava value chain to discuss the challenges and opportunities in cassava farming, especially in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon.
The Ministers, speaking at different sessions during the forum, noted that cassava is a very important crop that could help the region boost its food security through increased production. They urged researchers and the private sector to help the transfer and adoption of new technologies by smallholder farmers to enable them overcome challenges such as climate change.
“This forum is very important in helping us address the challenges facing a crop that is important, especially to the rural poor,” says Ananga Messina, minister delegate to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Cameroon.
source: scidev.net
