(Business in Cameroon) - The Cameroonian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Minader) has just launched a call for expressions of interest to recruit private partners interested in acquiring seed farms. The government plans indeed to transfer 47 seed farms across the country to private management. Private operators interested in this government offer have until June 22, 2023, to submit their applications to the Ministry.

According to Minader, this privatization aims to "revitalize seed farms by accelerating the transformation of multiplication and dissemination farms of plant material into true centers of seed and seedling production, benefiting priority sectors." The move also aligns with the government's import-substitution policy that seeks to encourage local production, and considerably reduce imports.

The development of seed production in Cameroon will also make this plant material available, as its unavailability is often cited as one of the main causes of the country's agricultural deficits.