Entrepreneurship: Three groups of SMEs with high potential identified

Twenty-one months after the beginning of its activities, the Programme of Support for the Development of the Private Sector has identified three potential clusters across the country.

These SMEs networks were found within the food processing and wood industries. A cluster is a network of businesses mostly consisting of SMEs and TPE, occurring on a same production niche and in a same sector.

In a result presented, yesterday in Yaoundé, by the Programme of support for the development of the private sector; "Cameroon wood cluster" in the Centre region for wood processing were one of the identified potentials. "Farot coop cluster" and Rinaya (Yagoua natural rice), located in the Southwest and the Far North region respectively will be interested in food processing.

The first 2015 statutory Committee meeting for the coordination and monitoring of the Programme of Support for the Development of the Private Sector in Cameroon (Padsp-Cam) was held yesterday. It was an opportunity for members of this program to take stock on their activities and to make the point on the opportunities available to them.

Padsp-Cam totalled for the year 2015, a mobilization of 200 million FCFA representing the consideration of the government of Cameroon as well as a budgetary implementation rate of 86% by August 31, 2015. Seven sectors had also been targeted including woodworking, horticulture export, agro-processing, industrial maintenance and mechanical manufacturing, tourism and leisure, construction and related services and ICT.

But "difficulties caused the program to focus on wood, cassava and rice", stated Marie Louise Secke Pouka, Secretary General of the Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts (Minpmeesa), who presided over the work.

A crucial point emerged from the reflections. How to manage the withdrawal by October 31 of the Centre for the Development of Enterprise (CDE), technical executing agency assisting the programme in its activities?

The session was devoted to reflection on the fate of the Padsp and its sustainability. The Padsp aims to strengthen the competitiveness of enterprises and SMEs in particular, to improve their governance and their management, support the growth and development of the sectors, as well as facilitating their access to finance.

The time is therefore looking for strategies for the mobilization of funds for the period 2016-2018.