Cameroon intensifies initiative to reduce fish imports

The Cameroonian government is intensifying initiatives to boost fish production in the country, currently estimated at 176,000 tons while local demand for the product is around 400,000 tons per year.

It is with this regard that the project for the “Support of the development of farming of tilapia in Cameroon» has been implemented with the assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The 300 million CFA francs-worth project aimed at producing the fish larva to be supplied to the fish farmers active across the country.

In addition to these specialized centers, the Cameroonian government has been increasing fish production centres over the least two years.

According to sources at the ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Resources, the aim in implementing simultaneously all these fish farming projects is to increase aquaculture production in the country to reach 100, 000 tons per year.

With the current projects in fish production, it is projected to reach 276,000 tons by 2020, which would reduce the gap to only 130,000 tons and significantly reduce the imports weighing heavy on the country’s trade balances.