Small Scale Banana Farmers on the Rise in Cameroon

Published 2021년 4월 30일

Cameroon is one of the leading global suppliers of bananas, exporting USD 279M in 2019, the most significant value by an African country. Production in the country is currently on the rise, dominated by three leading market players who command most exports. However, a significant population in the country engages in small-scale farming. Tridge interviewed Roger Louis Tchang, the Managing Director of Maisons Roger Sarl. This organization is set out to work hand in hand with small-scale farmers to help them sustainably and efficiently participate in the Cameroonian banana industry.

According to the Banana Association of Cameroon (Assobacam), banana exports from the country are influenced mainly by three leading market players. These included Plantations du Haut Penja (PHP), a Cameroonian subsidiary of the French group Compagnie fruitière de Marseille, and the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), the second-largest producer in the market. These organizations currently drive the market. However, a more significant amount of bananas could be exported from the country if the produce of the village farmers could be successfully utilized, and Maisons Roger Sarl seeks to do so successfully. They aim to successfully organize small-scale village farmers into significant contributors to the Cameroonian banana industry.

Challenges faced by small-scale farmers

Small-scale farmers in Cameroon fail to effectively participate in profitable banana trading due to lack of technical expertise, logistical challenges, minimal funding, and lack of access to the export market. Masons Roger Sarl seeks to alleviate these barriers while working hand in hand with the local farmers.

“In a lot of villages in Cameroon, we have small-scale farmers with a significant amount of land and production potential. However, they lack the know-how to sell their produce. We have committed to organize these farmers into a cooperative. We intend to assist them on the technical side, purchase all their produce at competitive prices, and resell it to the export market. That way, the farmers will be able to earn decent returns for their produce. By collecting produce from a lot of small-scale farmers, we anticipate that we’ll be able to perform well in the export market.” Tchang stated.

Banana tree plantation.

Many of these farmers face logistical challenges when selling their products as their farms are located in villages far from the commercial markets to sell their products. According to Tchang, they also lack knowledge of how to enter the export market.

“This will help improve the lives of the local farmers. These farmers face a lot of challenges. Some of them produce bananas and carry the fruits to the cities to sell them, which is difficult due to transportation issues. So it is important to organize and assist these farmers. We will purchase their products from the farms, eliminating the transport barrier. We have relationships with farmers that grow both bananas and pineapples.” Tchang explained.

A traditional market place in the little village on the road to Batoufam, Cameroon

Europe remains a key market

Currently, Cameroon’s largest banana markets are Belgium, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Tchang aims to continue targeting the European market and break ground in the rest of the world.

“We are looking at the European market currently, as we have many ties in that region. However, we are flexible and open at engaging with buyers from other countries as we seek to widen the net.” Tchang concluded.