6 million tonnes of maize expected per year by 2015-2016

Cameroon has to develop a strategy to achieve an annual production of 6 million tonnes of maize, revealed the Ministry of Agriculture and rural development (MINADER).

This strategy is essentially based on the development of seed and making them available to producers with a suitable site. In 2013, and according to official statistics, the country produced 1.8 million tonnes of maize, a decrease of 200,000 tonnes from the previous year, for a domestic demand estimated at 2 million tons.

At the end of 2013, Cameroon had set up 35 fields, spread over a total area of 250 hectares, and intended to produce 900 tonnes of maize seed the following year.

A study in 2008 by the non-governmental organization, Association citoyenne de défense des intérêts collectifs (ACDIC), revealed criminal practices in the management of subsidies by the Government to farmer organizations under the national Programme of support to the maize sector.

"The National anti-corruption Commission (CONAC) also confirmed these conclusions, namely that on an amount of 1.2 billion FCFA unlocked in 2006, 2007 and 2008 for the production of maize, 34.04% of the sum had not been used in the production of this commodity, money having been' hijacked by groups and individuals.

Cameroon has some 700,000 family, craft and modern, contributing to more than 150 billion FCFA to the gross domestic product (GDP), with a national consumption of more than 700,000 tonnes, the rest being used for the poultry industry.

Exporting maize until 1974, the country began importing 20 to 60,000 tonnes resulting in significant output currency.