Cocoa/Coffee Production : Government Digitalizes Subsidies

The government of Cameroon through the Cocoa and Coffee Sub Sectors Development Fund, CCODEF, has established a digital platform known as Producer’s Desk which enables the provision of subsidies to the cocoa and coffee producers without need for physical contact or paperwork. According to Kakmani Christophe, Technical Adviser with CCODEF and head of mission to the launching of the project in Santa, the process begins with the farmer filming the farmland and the application automatically calculated the surface area and a plot map is established for the farmer as well as costing. The farmer is expected to contribute 60 per cent of the cost for the first year, 20 per cent for the second year and 10 per cent for the third year. The platform links the farmer to a bank or micro finance institution of his or her choice, an agro dealer and agents of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Once the farmer deposits his or her own share of the money, the system automatically alerts CCODEF who deposits the subsidy. The farmer is given a voucher from the bank or micro finance which he takes to the ago dealer and supplies, be they inputs or light machinery. After a pilot phase of the project carried out in Moungo Division, the project is now extended to the rest of the country.
Launching the project in Santa on Tuesday November 21, 2023, North West Regional Governor said the project falls within the scope of the second-generation agriculture initiated by President Paul Biya and aimed at improving the living standards of the people. He urged farmers in the North West to register massively for the project so as to benefit from the subsidies. According to the representative of cocoa and coffee farmers in the North West, so far 300...