(Business in Cameroon) - Official sources revealed that the support program for young farmers’ settlements (Programme d’appui à l’installation des jeunes agriculteurs-PAIJA), has already helped develop 3,300 hectares of land for young beneficiaries.

“We have launched the pilot phase, in 2008, with two sites. Actually, we have 11 sites in 8 regions. There are no sites in the North and far-north because we are unable to settle young people all year round due to the low rainfall. There are approximately 3,300 hectares of crops on those sites developed by the government and 600 young people are supported in their production”, revealed Martial Nkoulou, coordinator of this programme managed by the ministry of agriculture and rural development (MINADER), to the Quotidien gouvernemental.

However, despite its performances, the programme faces important financial challenges to its optimal result, the coordinator said.

“We do not have a lot of funding because the programme is financed on the government investment budget. We also have to think about setting some structures for the continuity of this project”, Martial Nkoulou suggested.

BRM