Cameroon rolls out plan to boost rice production to 750,000 tons by 2030

(Business in Cameroon) - The Cameroonian Ministry of Agriculture has adopted a strategy to boost local rice production in the next few years. The country wants to bring the local volume to 750,000 tons by 2030 and phase out imports. "Not only do we want to produce more rice, but we also want to make it available to local consumers first. We want the local rice to be of high quality at an affordable price. And this strategy will require us to put in the necessary means, including making our agriculture more modern and mechanized, restructuring the sector, and involving the private sector more in the whole chain," Minister Gabriel Mbairobe said during a meeting held on May 16 in Yaoundé with stakeholders to validate the strategy. According to details provided following this work session, 60,000 ha will be developed for irrigated rice and 200,000 ha for rainfed rice with 6,000 tons of certified seed produced per year by 2030. Additionally, the government plans to provide rice ...