Cassava production to get a boost

This new development became the focus during a discussion at the 3rd ordinary session held in Yaounde on Wednesday, December 3.

With its many derivatives, cassava is deemed a veritable gold mine. However, funding for the promotion of production are a brake on the growth of this sector in Central Africa. In addition, the amount produced in Cameroon allows them to meet the high demand from neighbouring countries.

In order to find strategies to boost the production of cassava, the Steering Committee of the project sustainable cassava Production in Central Africa and integration to markets (Pdmacim) held its third ordinary session last Wednesday.

The event which took place at the Campus of the Institute of agricultural research for development (Irad) was placed under the chairmanship of its Director general, Dr. Woin Noé. Participants included the project members from the countries of the Central African sub-region and representatives of the European Union. "Many activities were conducted by the researchers in collaboration with producers.

We have identified the types of varieties of cassava and the difficulties faced by producers. School fields were made and research development committees established," said Marie Joseph Engama, Member of the Pdmacim. But cassava production has been slow to actually take flight. "It takes even more funding to employ mechanization culture to enable small producers to boost their production", she added. Action programme and the budget for the 2014-2015 were examined and validated.

Pdmacim is a joint project in the six countries of the economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (Cemac), piloted by the regional poles of research applied to the development of the agricultural systems in Central Africa (Prasac). Among other activities, the Prasac adopts a strategy of diversification of funding by encouraging researchers to respond to invitations to tender. The cassava project which started in 2010 to ends in 2015.