Agri-entrepreneurship, is a key factor in eliminating hunger, ensuring food security, and improving nutrition in Cameroon.

By Nsengue Laurent Brice (Download Pdf)

According to the report on The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, projections indicate that by 2030, more than 600 million people worldwide will suffer from hunger, underscoring the scale of the task ahead to achieve “zero hunger” (UN, 2023). This is why eradicating hunger is the second UN Sustainable Development Goal which is making sure that food is wholesome. Nourishing is as important as making sure that everyone has enough to eat. The fight against hunger has made significant progress in the last fifteen years. According to the most recent State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI), report released today by five United Nations agencies, over 733 million people experienced hunger in 2023, or 1 in 11 people globally and 1 in 5 in Africa, even though the global hunger rate has dropped from 15% in 2002 to 11% in 2016. According to OCHA, 11% of Cameroon’s population faces acute food insecurity. This represents 3 million people. The results of the March 2023 Harmonized Framework analysis indicate that the Far North, North-West and South-West regions are the most affected. With agriculture accounting for around 4% of global GDP, it appears to be the weapon of choice in the fight against hunger in Africa and the rest of the globe (World Bank, 2022). Approximately 60% of the working population in Cameroon is employed in agriculture (INS, 2021), which also contributes 80% of the GDP to the country’s primary sector (Business in Cameroon). About Cameroon’s agricultural prospects, it is also crucial to remember two things: firstly, 62% of the country’s working population is employed in agriculture; secondly, 13.12% of the country’s land was arable in 2021, which indicates that the percentage of land used for agriculture in Cameroon is around 13.12%. To this end, we realize that Cameroon has the fundamental pillars for the growth of agricultural entrepreneurship in terms of labor, land, climate, regulation, and access to finance. A multifaceted strategy is necessary for full food security, which includes social protection to ensure that food is safe and nourishing, particularly for children, and the transformation of food systems to create a more sustainable and inclusive society. A nation like Cameroon would have to grow its agricultural industry to achieve this, which would encourage the growth of agricultural entrepreneurship. However, the entrepreneurial ecosystem—agricultural or not—faces several challenges, including high taxes on SMEs, bureaucratic red tape, restricted financing options, a lack of energy and transportation infrastructure, and corruption, to mention a few. This study aims to highlight the contribution of agricultural entrepreneurship to eradicating poverty, ensuring food security, and improving nutrition in Cameroon.

Development opportunities for the agro-industry in Cameroon

Cameroon’s agricultural sector has many challenges to overcome, but there is also much opportunity for development and change. Agriculture is positioned as a major force for sustainable development and economic progress in Africa’s transformation blueprint Agenda 2063. Cameroon alone is responsible for 70% of intra-community agricultural trade in the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), sometimes called the “breadbasket” of Central Africa. With a GDP of US$39 billion in 2019, the primary sector accounts for nearly 50% of non-oil export earnings and the primary sector contributes 22% of the country’s total income. With over 40% of the workforce, the agricultural sector is the largest employer in the country, which is expected to have a population of around 27 million in 2021 (Cirad,2024).

While Cameroon’s irrigable potential is estimated at 240,000 hectares, less than 33,000 hectares are now irrigated, while the country’s arable land is believed to be at 7.2 million hectares, only 1.8 million hectares are farmed (Investir au Cameroun). Because just 26% of arable land is farmed and only 17% of irrigable land is utilized, these are important statistics that show that the margins for sector expansion are still large. Together with the vast range of agroecological zones, this land availability creates the ideal environment for investors of all sizes to produce a variety of food or cash crops intensively. To this end, there are agricultural entrepreneurship sectors with high potential such as market gardening, horticulture, dairy farming, snail farming, poultry farming, pesticide and insecticide production companies, jam making, meat processing and delivery, honey production, etc.

Let us recall that the development of an agricultural policy depends on the historical context, according to the dominant ideas of the moment. Cameroon has experienced four major changes in agricultural policy since its independence. These are the five-year development plans (1960-1986), the new agricultural policy (1990 – 1998), the Agricultural Policy – New Challenges (1999-2013), and the so-called second-generation policy (from 2014). In addition, the initiation of policies such as the National Agricultural Investment Plan, the Rural Sector Development Strategy Document, etc. which have the pure objective of encouraging agribusiness in Cameroon are palpable signs that demonstrate the government’s desire to create more opportunities in agribusiness in the country.

In Africa, rural communities are essential to agribusiness and agriculture in general. Therefore, it is more crucial than ever to invest in enhancing rural populations’ resilience to guarantee food security, safeguard rural residents’ livelihoods, make sure that the advancements made over the years won’t be undone, and keep other rural residents from experiencing hunger and poverty. In light of this, the Cameroonian government is concentrating on agro-industry development as part of its structural economic reform program, which is outlined in the National Development Strategy 2020–2030 (SND-30). According to this viewpoint, the rural sector must be instrumental in boosting agricultural output and productivity to guarantee long-term food security.

Challenges of Agribusiness in Development in Cameroon

The challenges that hinder the development of agribusiness in Cameroon are numerous and negatively impact the Cameroonian government’s objective of eliminating hunger, ensuring food security, and improving the quality of nutrition. While the lack of labor in rural areas due to rural exodus, insufficient energy and transport infrastructure, limited access to financing for agripreneurs, and limited access to land for young people and women, knowing that they represent more than 60% of the country’s population, the absence of coherent agricultural policies even if the Cameroonian government is making efforts, the practice of subsistence farming due to the high cost of mechanized agricultural equipment, inadequate types of crops, etc. constitute costs to the slow development of agribusiness in the country, climate change remains the biggest problem for agribusiness in the world. Today, agriculture is inherently vulnerable, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where agriculture is dependent on the seasons. Visible signs of climate change are visible in Cameroon, regardless of the agroecological zone. In the Sudano-Sahelian zone, the first characteristic is a very significant reduction in the amount of annual precipitation which is estimated at 1727 mm (CLIMAT Cameroon)

Conclusion and Recommendation

Achieving sustainable growth in the agricultural sector and encouraging agricultural entrepreneurship to end hunger, ensure food security, and improve nutrition in Cameroon requires a multidimensional approach that includes both short- and long-term strategies. In the short term, it is essential to provide immediate support to farmers and agripreneurs through initiatives such as credit facilities, training programs, and market linkages. In the long term, investment in infrastructure development, policy reform, and research is needed to create an environment conducive to sustainable growth in agricultural entrepreneurship. By combining these strategies, Cameroon can create a dynamic agricultural entrepreneurship sector that will not only stimulate the development of agribusiness for sustainable economic growth but also improve the livelihoods of its citizens and contribute to food security.

Recommendation

L’amélioration du réseau routier du Cameroun est essentielle pour promouvoir l’entreprenariat agricole et éliminer la faim, assurer la sécurité alimentaire et améliorer la nutrition. Si les agriculteurs peuvent facilement transporter leurs produits vers les marchés, réduire les pertes après récolte et augmenter leurs revenus grâce à un réseau routier bien entretenu, cela contribuera à l’amélioration de l’industrie agroalimentaire. According to the World Bank, a 10 percent improvement in the quality of roads can lead to a 2.5 percent increase in agricultural productivity (World Bank, 2018).? Irrigation can increase agricultural production by up to 50%, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO, 2019). Irrigation systems can also reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides, making agriculture more environmentally friendly. Improving storage facilities in Cameroon is critical to promoting agricultural entrepreneurship and sustainable growth. Poor storage facilities are the cause of significant post-harvest losses, with estimates that up to 30% to 40% of produce is lost due to poor storage (FAO, 2019). Increasing access to credit is crucial for agricultural entrepreneurship in Cameroon. Agricultural credit schemes can provide smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs with the necessary funds to invest, purchase inputs, and expand. This can lead to increased productivity, competitiveness and economic growth. Microfinance institutions (MFIs) play a critical role in providing financial services to smallholder farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs in Cameroon. MFI’s may offer various financial services, including savings, credit and insurance.