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Cameroon is considered as an attic of Central Africa. The country which is about to reach the food self-sufficiency level also represents for its neighbours, a real breeding ground.

By Achille Mbog Pibasso, Douala

Cameroon is a country with a wide agricultural potential as an important part of its economy is based on the agro-pastoral activities. Many years before its independence, these activities were already developed. The access to independence will emphasize this agricultural dynamism, with the launch of the concept of the " green Revolution ", whose aim was to bring the Cameroonians to be more interested in agriculture and inbreeding. It is in this perspective that the Authorities would launch the agro-pastoral shows, to stimulate the rural populations. According to reliable sources from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, more than 70 % of the Cameroonians live on agricultural activities. A presence which allows the country to provide a food self-sufficiency level for most part of its populations.

Food crop represents a real asset for the Cameroonians who are significantly involved in a process of food self-sufficiency.

The variety of climate and a heterogeneous relief facilitate a varied agriculture. After a period of exhaustion which lasted several years, the Cameroonian Authorities decided to take up with certain big meetings. In this perspective, the president of the Republic Paul Biya officially announced in his message of wishes to his fellow countrymen on December 31st, 2009, the implementation of an agro-pastoral show at Ebolowa, in the Southern part of the country. An event dedicated to the rural world and regarded as extremely popular by the farmers and the breeders, because the best products are rewarded with bonuses, which encourages the producers, not only to produce more, but also to produce better quality.

Food-producing products 
The food crop represents a real asset for the Cameroonians who are significantly nvolved in a process of food self-sufficiency. The Southern part of the country which is subjected to an equatorial and tropical climate is the place par excellence of the culture of tubers: manioc, macabo, yam, potato, taro are so many cultures that you can find in this part of the country.

According to reliable sources from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, more than 70 % of the Cameroonians live on agricultural activities. A presence which allows the country to provide a food self-sufficiency level for most part of its populations.

A region where we also cultivate many market garden produce, as well as diverse products which facilitate a well-balanced diet. The northern part of the country, dominated by a Sahelian climate, is the exclusive location for cereals: corns, thousand, sorghum, groundnut, cucumber, bean, wheat and the other niébé are abundantly cultivated there. This offers a complementary counterpart and allows the Cameroonians to vary their food.. Besides, Cameroon is regarded as the attic of its under region, because countries such as Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Nigeria and Chad depend partially on farm produces from Cameroon.

Profit-making produce
It is a field in which the country has built up a large part of its economy. This bent for profit-making produce goes back up to the colonial times, and was carried out after the proclamation of the independence in 1960. In the first years which followed this independence, Cameroon asserted its determination, becoming the main world producing countries of banana, cocoa, coffee and cotton. After a period of lethargy due to the economic crisis, the country seems to be back on the economic track as these products have encountered a considerable renewal of activity. Besides, the other products as the hevea or the palm tree with oil resist somehow to the international competition.

Breeding and fishing
These two activities are also prosperous and allow thousands of Cameroonians to live on it decently. The Cameroonian livestock made of cattle, pigs, ovine races, goats, represents millions of heads of animals, the consumption of which allows to provide, not only the domestic market, but also the nearby countries. The poultry also represents an important source of income, which contributes to reduce the imports. As for the halieutic resources, we can say that Cameroon was spoiled by nature as the three hundred kilometers along the Cameroonian coast are famous for their concentration of fishes, facilitating as well the fishing industry as well as the local one. This could explain why foreign fishermen scour regularly the Cameroonian coasts.

Evolution of cash crops and industrial produce from agricultural extraction

Source : MINADER, MINFI/DAE, WEO

Production of the main food crops (in tons)

Source : MINADER