(Business in Cameroon) - Under the Livestock Development Project (Prodel), the Cameroonian government is to inject CFA10.4 billion into 26 communes in the three Northern regions, we learnt October 12. The World Bank also backed the scheme with CFA60 billion.

While 8 communes have been selected in the North and Adamaoua, 10 were chosen in the Far-North where the breeding sector has seriously been affected by attacks from the Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram.

According to statistics from the World Bank, the sect has stolen since 2013 CFA3 billion worth of cattle in the Far-North. The ministry of husbandry revealed that the sector is the most affected by the exactions, suffering 65% (CFA54.8 billion) of overall losses.

Prodel is seen as a new breath that is expected to boost the sector, mainly in the focus regions. It targets about 120,000 breeder families, shepherds, livestock organizations, about 20,000 economic operators and private SMEs, public and private livestock support services, services providers in livestock value chains (cattle-milk, cattle-meat, small ruminants, pigs, poultry and honey) in the project's intervention areas.

Officials of the ministry of husbandry said actions will focus on improving producers' access to key livestock services (animal health services, genetic material, etc.); improving the productivity of pastoral production systems, market access and support for the development of value chains.

Brice R. Mbodiam