(Business in Cameroon) - The World Food Program (WFP) recently organized a training workshop in Maroua, the regional capital of Far-North Cameroon, to help producer groups combat post-harvest losses.  

"This workshop aims to boost producer groups’ capacity in the management of post-harvest losses, ensure the qualitative and quantitative availability of their products, help improve their yields, boost their income and facilitate market access for them,”  said Bassirou Mouhamadou, a food security officer at the WFP sub-office in Maroua, to regional tri-weekly L'oeil du Sahel.

The issue of post-harvest losses is a pressing challenge because, in this part of Cameroon, up to 40% of the harvest is usually lost due mainly to poor conservation, the Ministry of Agriculture's regional delegation in the Far-North estimates.  

Those losses further jeopardize food security in the region, which is already affected by the harsh climate that reduces yields.  Meanwhile, high demand for food products induced by the inflow of refugees in the region, the regular destruction of plantations by elephants and granivorous birds, and the insecurity caused by Boko Haram fighters (which forced many farmers to abandon their plantations) are added pressures on food security in that region.

BRM