Interim mines minister says Cameroon to be industrialized nation by 2035
By Vera Fon
It is officially indicated that Cameroon needs to transform 80% of its locally grown food crops to be fully recognized as an industrial nation and a number of mechanisms are being multiplied as years go by, to meet that objective.
The Interim Minister of mines, industry and technological development Prof. Fuh Calistus Gentry, has said the local transformation of agricultural products will enable Cameroonbecome a truly industrialized nation by 2035.
He was addressing hundreds of agro-industrial exhibitors participating in this year’s agro business exhibition fair, SIALY, taking place from July 5-9, 2023 in Yaounde. A total of 300 exhibitors in the agro-food sector, farmers and students are taking part in the event.
“We need to be transforming our locally made grown food. If we keep importing them, it becomes a commerce and that’s not what we want,” Prof. Fuh stated.
He also insisted on the need for training in transformation. One of them is the Yaounde agro business exhibition which aims at grooming 1 million young agro- entrepreneurs. Some of the agro entrepreneurs who are small holders are breaking grounds in food transformation and distribution.
The small holders who are catching the vision to transform food products are hoping that they can be accompanied by the government
“Expanding the industry has been one of our worries. In Bangem, we produce over 35% of national production but the small unit that we have cannot even take 1/10 of what we have as raw material,” one of the agro-entrepreneurs said.
The 8th edition of the Yaounde International agro business exhibition is hoping on training to promote industrial exhibition and by extension made in Cameroon products in line with the policies of the African continental free trade area
