Finished and unfinished work of the Minister of Agriculture

Distribution of maize seed here, agro-statistics there, Cameroon mango promotion in London ... Minister Essimi Menye is on several fronts. Two years ago, farmers who wanted to buy maize seed engaged in a fight, in the proper sense of the term at IRAD Yaounde, to have a few grams of this valuable input.

In 2014, only two years after this sad episode in the history of agriculture in Cameroon, he is distributing free maize seed in all regions of Cameroon.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER) Essimi Menye has won a gamble. He went to Ibadan to get the seed strains which have given the seeds distributed in the 2014 crop year, 400 tons, according to him. After almost 40 years, Cameroon is gradually returning to the collection of statistical data on agriculture and livestock, an essential planning tool.

According to Minister Essimi Menye himself, putting statistics in the farming area in the spotlight is the first case he initiated immediately upon taking office in December 2011. It was then quite reasonable that he welcome advancement in the issue last May 14. What about new projects such as Investment and Agricultural Market Development Project (Pidma)?

While waiting to see how it works out, especially with regard to sorghum that shall be sold to breweries while its production area, the North, is constantly exposed to famine, we must recognize that for once, farmers have to sell before they produce. This is at least what the project wants to achieve in the case of maize, sorghum and cassava.

Advocate for the enrichment of bread with cassava, sweet potatoes and plantains flour MINADER recently signed an agreement with the bakers’ union by which Pidma will supplies cassava flour for them to incorporate into bread. If this is implemented in a professional manner (this is probably the biggest challenge) this project would provide thousands of jobs, provide a significant amount of money to rural areas, contribute to the industrialization of our country and boost food sovereignty. This is in addition to the spaghetti from cassava that MINADER gave diplomats to taste. This means that the cassava sector has better days ahead.

Just recently, we saw MINADER in London promoting Cameroon agricultural products including mangoes. Cameroon mango with origins in India picked up an aroma when it got in contact with Cameroonian soil. This is a fragrance that is found nowhere else in the world. According to our sources, MINADER heard that Europeans liked it more than other mangoes and were using our mangoes to flavour mango juice from other sources, so went to London to sell our highly valued product. According to the same sources, millions of mango plants shall be produced and distributed free to farmers with the hope of satisfying the eventual high demand.

Challenges abound

Despite these good initiatives, there are still many challenges ahead, and urgency does not give him time to procrastinate. His position as Minister of Agriculture makes him naturally responsible for the implementation of the promises made during the agric show in Ebolowa. He is not saying anything, even if some of his actions are going in that direction.

Everybody is surprised by his silence on cooperatives which he had announced in a great fanfare media campaign. It is curious which cooperatives will receive support from Pidma except that fake CIGs will transform to fake cooperatives. Mr. Essimi Menye is on track to achieve a return to agricultural statistics. He must also dare to bring back Agropastoral Shows. Otherwise, we would like to know at least what he is proposing concretely if the final decision does not depend on him.

Whether in the village or in the city, the image of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has been sufficiently tarnished by bad governance, Mafia practices very little results compared to the volume of investments. The excuse that it was under another "regime" is not enough. Rural areas will be grateful to him if he gives more visibility to these projects and programs making them achieve tangible results.

The ground is full of pitfalls. MINADER must face many obstacles, including resistance from those who benefit from these projects and programs, Long arms that trample on the public missions MINADER going right to refusing an invitation for the tasting of the local spaghetti.

Whatever the case maybe, Minister Essimi Menye agrees with those who said after his appointment that he loved farming. Makes you wonder if the presidential speech of December 31, 2013 was also addressed to him.