Livestock: South West Gets Second Agropole

The initiative, coming after the first in Fako Division, is Government’s effort to check rural exodus, create employment and add value to produce.

The Agropole, a Government programme to assist in sustaining private initiatives in production, processing and marketing of livestock and crops, has signed a protocol with the Mukete Estates to launch a pineapple industry in Kumba (Meme Division).

Ngo’o Bitomo Adrien, National Coordinator of the Agropole programme, and Godfrey Mukete, General Manager of Mukete Estates, appended their signatures to the contract document last 30 December 2016 at the Mukete Head office in Kumba. Present were the Meme Divisional Administration, the 17 other small holders of pineapple farms in the area and a curious observing population.

The protocol seeks to inject FCFA 380 million in the Kumba pineapple project. Meanwhile, contributions from the recipients will amount to FCFA 1.2 million. The initiative will raise the annual production of pineapples in the Kumba farms, already started in 2015, from 1,200 tons of fruits to 8,620 tons on some 118 hectares of land. Government assistance will equally extend to farm inputs, and 150 full-time jo...