EU assesses its performance in rural development

European Fund for Development (EDF) in Cameroon is fast reaching the end of its 10th term.

In view of setting up the 11th term, there was the need for the European Union (EU) to review the projects carried out in the past, to better project themselves in the future.

Based on this perspective, the Union committed an expert mission for a final assessment of Rural Development Programmes (RDPS) and the formulation of the programme referred to as ProRural, which is ongoing.

Present in Cameroon for three months, the EU experts visited the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (Minepat), Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi, on Friday.

During their discussions, both parties reported on reference data on the options regarding the orientations of the EDF intervention, as agreed at the end of the programming of the 11th EDF and the conclusion of the national indicative Programme.

ProRural fits into the continuity of the PDR and Agricultural Productivity Support Programs (Papa) funded under the 10th EDF. It will benefit from a funding of EUR 50 million (32,797 billion FCFA). The related financing agreement will be precisely signed once the assessment mission is completed.

"Thematic configuration of the program will focus on the support of economic growth through support for the potential development of production and the continuation of interventions to combat poverty," said André Lachapelle, Member of the mission.

Moreover, he said, the program will intervene at the level of support for the development of the sectors, the promotion of micro-projects and the improvement of productive equipment.

The North, East and agricultural basins of Nkam in the Littoral will be leading areas for the implementation of the programme. The Minister urged EU experts to see how to capitalize the achievements for a better implementation of the next phase.