Politics
It is five years now since the bank created to boost agricultural activities in the country was announced. Cameroonian farmers are certainly taken aback to see that such a long period has elapse without any possibility of them rushing to the bank to get the necessary finances to fund their activities. As the days pass by, hopes are rekindled with the setting up of the structures therein to enable the bank effectively go operational. The bank’s administration has been set up and the initial capital put in place to enable the institution functional. But on the ground, nothing has changed.
This state of affairs has been troubling Cameroonians, considering that agriculture represents more than half of the country’s non-oil export revenue and employs almost 60 per cent of the working population. Ninety per cent of rural households are, in one way or another, employed in agriculture, and approximately one-third of them earn their living from export crops. The announcement by the Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Forestry of the setting up of microfinance in charge of supporting farmers and ensuring their social security is another welcome initiative.
Farmers, in effect, received the news with mixed feeling especially as they haven’t been able to reap the fruit of the much pampered agriculture bank. In any case, they have continued to operate within their historic precincts financing their activities with their meagre savings, Njangis, contributions, common initiative groups and cooperative societies. In addition, pending the effective functioning of the agricultural bank and the microfinance institutions, government has not stopped providing subventions to farmers through their various cooperatives and other groups. This is being done through the various projects in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Some of them include: projects in charge of in-puts such as fertilizers, chemicals (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides) and seedlings. But this has not been enough to solve the problem.
Agriculture, it should be recalled, is more of a private sector economic activity. Government’s action should in the real sense constitute assistance. Unfortunately, many Cameroonians continue to think that government must play a primordial role in developing the sector. This entails that the creation of financial institutions ought not to be the sole source of funding for many a farmer. That said, local financial institutions of the private sector have not been of great assistance to the agric sector. Commercial banks for instance, continue to see agriculture as a highly risky sector and so, are not ready to give out loans to farmers. The conditions remain draconian. And whenever such loans do come in, there is sometimes lack of follow up to ensure that such projects are effectively implemented. It is not the first time a bank is being created to promote agriculture in Cameroon.
The faith of the Rural Development Fund (FONADER) remains engraved in many minds. Created for farmers, the bank became a financial haven for the well-to-do. At the end of the day, loans were disbursed to people who were neither agriculturalists nor potential ones. The announcement of another bank brought back minds to the woes of FONADER and this explains why many continue to think and wish that the slow takeoff of the new structure should be a measure to avoid the errors of the past.
- Details
- Ngwa Bertrand
- Hits: 1624
It is five years now since the bank created to boost agricultural activities in the country was announced. Cameroonian farmers are certainly taken aback to see that such a long period has elapse without any possibility of them rushing to the bank to get the necessary finances to fund their activities. As the days pass by, hopes are rekindled with the setting up of the structures therein to enable the bank effectively go operational. The bank’s administration has been set up and the initial capital put in place to enable the institution functional. But on the ground, nothing has changed.
This state of affairs has been troubling Cameroonians, considering that agriculture represents more than half of the country’s non-oil export revenue and employs almost 60 per cent of the working population. Ninety per cent of rural households are, in one way or another, employed in agriculture, and approximately one-third of them earn their living from export crops. The announcement by the Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Forestry of the setting up of microfinance in charge of supporting farmers and ensuring their social security is another welcome initiative.
Farmers, in effect, received the news with mixed feeling especially as they haven’t been able to reap the fruit of the much pampered agriculture bank. In any case, they have continued to operate within their historic precincts financing their activities with their meagre savings, Njangis, contributions, common initiative groups and cooperative societies. In addition, pending the effective functioning of the agricultural bank and the microfinance institutions, government has not stopped providing subventions to farmers through their various cooperatives and other groups. This is being done through the various projects in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Some of them include: projects in charge of in-puts such as fertilizers, chemicals (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides) and seedlings. But this has not been enough to solve the problem.
Agriculture, it should be recalled, is more of a private sector economic activity. Government’s action should in the real sense constitute assistance. Unfortunately, many Cameroonians continue to think that government must play a primordial role in developing the sector. This entails that the creation of financial institutions ought not to be the sole source of funding for many a farmer. That said, local financial institutions of the private sector have not been of great assistance to the agric sector. Commercial banks for instance, continue to see agriculture as a highly risky sector and so, are not ready to give out loans to farmers. The conditions remain draconian. And whenever such loans do come in, there is sometimes lack of follow up to ensure that such projects are effectively implemented. It is not the first time a bank is being created to promote agriculture in Cameroon.
The faith of the Rural Development Fund (FONADER) remains engraved in many minds. Created for farmers, the bank became a financial haven for the well-to-do. At the end of the day, loans were disbursed to people who were neither agriculturalists nor potential ones. The announcement of another bank brought back minds to the woes of FONADER and this explains why many continue to think and wish that the slow takeoff of the new structure should be a measure to avoid the errors of the past.
- Details
- Ngwa Bertrand
- Hits: 1379
It is five years now since the bank created to boost agricultural activities in the country was announced. Cameroonian farmers are certainly taken aback to see that such a long period has elapse without any possibility of them rushing to the bank to get the necessary finances to fund their activities. As the days pass by, hopes are rekindled with the setting up of the structures therein to enable the bank effectively go operational. The bank’s administration has been set up and the initial capital put in place to enable the institution functional. But on the ground, nothing has changed.
This state of affairs has been troubling Cameroonians, considering that agriculture represents more than half of the country’s non-oil export revenue and employs almost 60 per cent of the working population. Ninety per cent of rural households are, in one way or another, employed in agriculture, and approximately one-third of them earn their living from export crops. The announcement by the Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Forestry of the setting up of microfinance in charge of supporting farmers and ensuring their social security is another welcome initiative.
Farmers, in effect, received the news with mixed feeling especially as they haven’t been able to reap the fruit of the much pampered agriculture bank. In any case, they have continued to operate within their historic precincts financing their activities with their meagre savings, Njangis, contributions, common initiative groups and cooperative societies. In addition, pending the effective functioning of the agricultural bank and the microfinance institutions, government has not stopped providing subventions to farmers through their various cooperatives and other groups. This is being done through the various projects in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Some of them include: projects in charge of in-puts such as fertilizers, chemicals (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides) and seedlings. But this has not been enough to solve the problem.
Agriculture, it should be recalled, is more of a private sector economic activity. Government’s action should in the real sense constitute assistance. Unfortunately, many Cameroonians continue to think that government must play a primordial role in developing the sector. This entails that the creation of financial institutions ought not to be the sole source of funding for many a farmer. That said, local financial institutions of the private sector have not been of great assistance to the agric sector. Commercial banks for instance, continue to see agriculture as a highly risky sector and so, are not ready to give out loans to farmers. The conditions remain draconian. And whenever such loans do come in, there is sometimes lack of follow up to ensure that such projects are effectively implemented. It is not the first time a bank is being created to promote agriculture in Cameroon.
The faith of the Rural Development Fund (FONADER) remains engraved in many minds. Created for farmers, the bank became a financial haven for the well-to-do. At the end of the day, loans were disbursed to people who were neither agriculturalists nor potential ones. The announcement of another bank brought back minds to the woes of FONADER and this explains why many continue to think and wish that the slow takeoff of the new structure should be a measure to avoid the errors of the past.
- Details
- Ngwa Bertrand
- Hits: 1295
Central African Republic will hold presidential and parliamentary elections on Dec. 13, the electoral commission said on Wednesday, reviving delayed efforts to restore democracy in a country rocked by fighting since 2013. The polls were initially to have been held on Oct. 18 but were postponed, in part due to violence in the capital.
A run-off presidential vote will be held on Jan. 24 if needed, state radio said. The elections are intended to usher in a government with authority to restore order in one of Africa's most turbulent states and pave the way for the departure of U.N. and French peacekeepers. Central African Republic was plunged into turmoil in 2013 when Muslim rebels from an umbrella group called Seleka seized power in the majority-Christian country.
Seleka handed power to a transitional government in 2014 under international pressure but months of violence followed, killing thousands and resulting in the effective partition of the country. The murder of a Muslim man in the capital in late September triggered inter-communal violence that killed at least 40 people, forced 40,000 to flee and destroyed homes, shops and humanitarian offices.
In August a transitional council adopted a new constitution, which will be put to a referendum one week before the elections, the radio said. All the main political groups say they support it so it is likely to be adopted.
- Details
- Ngwa Bertrand
- Hits: 2356
It is five years now since the bank created to boost agricultural activities in the country was announced. Cameroonian farmers are certainly taken aback to see that such a long period has elapse without any possibility of them rushing to the bank to get the necessary finances to fund their activities. As the days pass by, hopes are rekindled with the setting up of the structures therein to enable the bank effectively go operational. The bank’s administration has been set up and the initial capital put in place to enable the institution functional. But on the ground, nothing has changed.
This state of affairs has been troubling Cameroonians, considering that agriculture represents more than half of the country’s non-oil export revenue and employs almost 60 per cent of the working population. Ninety per cent of rural households are, in one way or another, employed in agriculture, and approximately one-third of them earn their living from export crops. The announcement by the Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Forestry of the setting up of microfinance in charge of supporting farmers and ensuring their social security is another welcome initiative.
Farmers, in effect, received the news with mixed feeling especially as they haven’t been able to reap the fruit of the much pampered agriculture bank. In any case, they have continued to operate within their historic precincts financing their activities with their meagre savings, Njangis, contributions, common initiative groups and cooperative societies. In addition, pending the effective functioning of the agricultural bank and the microfinance institutions, government has not stopped providing subventions to farmers through their various cooperatives and other groups. This is being done through the various projects in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Some of them include: projects in charge of in-puts such as fertilizers, chemicals (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides) and seedlings. But this has not been enough to solve the problem.
Agriculture, it should be recalled, is more of a private sector economic activity. Government’s action should in the real sense constitute assistance. Unfortunately, many Cameroonians continue to think that government must play a primordial role in developing the sector. This entails that the creation of financial institutions ought not to be the sole source of funding for many a farmer. That said, local financial institutions of the private sector have not been of great assistance to the agric sector. Commercial banks for instance, continue to see agriculture as a highly risky sector and so, are not ready to give out loans to farmers. The conditions remain draconian. And whenever such loans do come in, there is sometimes lack of follow up to ensure that such projects are effectively implemented. It is not the first time a bank is being created to promote agriculture in Cameroon.
The faith of the Rural Development Fund (FONADER) remains engraved in many minds. Created for farmers, the bank became a financial haven for the well-to-do. At the end of the day, loans were disbursed to people who were neither agriculturalists nor potential ones. The announcement of another bank brought back minds to the woes of FONADER and this explains why many continue to think and wish that the slow takeoff of the new structure should be a measure to avoid the errors of the past.
- Details
- Ngwa Bertrand
- Hits: 1621
Boko Haram militants launched an onslaught on the Cameroonian village of Yam Gazawa, late on Monday burning down buildings and stealing livestock. The attackers completely destroyed 9 houses - including the home of the traditional ruler and killed two of his relatives. Yam Gazawa is located in the Maya Tsanaga Division in the Far North region.
In another attack on Wednesday, a member of a non state policing group in Mora was murdered by Boko Haram fighters. Our intelligence officers in the Far North region are now saying that both the Cameroon government spokesman and minister of communications, Issa Tchiroma Bakary and the Cameroon military spokes person, Colonel Didier Badject have politicized the coverage of the war against the Nigerian Islamic sect.
- Details
- Ngwa Bertrand
- Hits: 1440
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Biya Article Count: 73
# Paul Biya and his regime
Explore the political landscape of Cameroon under the rule of Paul Biya, the longest-serving president in Africa who has been in power since 1982. Our Paul Biya and his regime section examines the policies, actions, and controversies of his government, as well as the opposition movements, civil society groups, and international actors that challenge or support his leadership. You'll also find profiles, interviews, and opinions on the key figures and events that shape the political dynamics of Cameroon.
Southern Cameroons Article Count: 549
.# Southern Cameroons, Ambazonia
Learn more about the history, culture, and politics of Ambazonia, the Anglophone regions of Cameroon that have been seeking self-determination and independence from the Francophone-dominated central government. Our Southern Cameroons section covers the ongoing conflict, the humanitarian crisis, the human rights violations, and the peace efforts in the region. You'll also find stories that highlight the rich and diverse heritage, traditions, and aspirations of the Southern Cameroonian people.
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