IITA showcases technologies in the first International Plantain Festival in South Cameroon

22 December 2022

The first International Plantain Festival, organized by the National Association for Actors of the Plantain Sector in Cameroon (FBPC), was held from 30 November to 2 December in Ebolowa and Mvangan in the South Cameroon Region. The ceremony was chaired by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER), Gabriel Mbairobe, in the presence of the Governor and all four Senior divisional officers of the South Region. Stakeholders in the sector synergized for the sustainable transformation of the plantain sector in Cameroon. IITA–CGIAR joined the actors to share its experience and the solutions it offers in this field.

Mayor of Mvangan addressing the first International Plantain Festival in South Cameroon.
Mayor of Mvangan addressing the first International Plantain Festival in South Cameroon.

The festival’s first edition constituted a valuable pool of know-how and expertise to contribute to the modernization of plantain farming, processing, and marketing. The initiative to promote the plantain sector is not random, as plantain is the third most consumed food in Cameroon and is one of the crops in which Cameroonian agriculture has made significant progress. Moreover, Cameroon’s National Development Strategy (NDS30) intends to increase the production of this crop and has set its production target at 10 million tons by 2030.

IITA Business Developer Geoffrey Nsofon speaking to Festival attendees about IITA's work.
IITA Business Developer Geoffrey Nsofon speaking to Festival attendees about IITA’s work.

Some actions have been proposed to achieve these objectives, including upgrading Cameroonian actors in the plantain sector within the FBPC, constructing five incubators, training 500 farmers, and safeguarding 100,000 hectares of land in the production basins. Four agreements were signed during side events of the festival to support the implementation of these initiatives.

Key stakeholders listening to speakers at the Festival.
Key stakeholders listening to speakers at the Festival.

The International Plantain Festival was an excellent opportunity for the IITA-CGIAR to showcase its solutions and facilities within the Research for Development (R4D) framework, notably the Vitro Plant lab and related services, and the Partnerships for Delivery (P4D) interventions. This is in line with the IITA Business Incubation platform (BIP) model, which links research, development, marketing, and capacity building in agriculture. IITA will thus build the capacity of farmers and establish five incubators.

The South Region is one of the main plantain production areas. Logically, the first edition of this festival in honor of plantain was held in the regional capital, Ebolowa, and Mvangan, located on the border with Gabon, which is a real granary of massive plantain production.

The South Regional Council, in particular, has taken a step in line with the will and determination of the State of Cameroon to improve the agricultural value chains. The festival highlighted the agricultural potential of the Southern Region, especially in terms of potential jobs and opportunities.

“The festival is a great illustration of the modernization of our agriculture,” said Minister Mbairobe. It is, therefore, a question of transforming our production, and it is only in this way that we will consolidate our position as the agricultural granary of Central Africa.

At the close of the festival, the Regional Council of the South handed over the torch to the South West for the organization of the next edition.

Contributed by Marielle Annick Diyani