Members held a meeting yesterday to evaluate the path covered and what remains to be done. Preparations have intensified in the country ahead of the national agro-pastoral show billed for Ebolowa, South Region this year. Stakeholders involved in organising the event met in Yaounde yesterday, under the chairmanship of the Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Jean Nkuete, to trace the path already covered and to seek ways of finalising preparations so as to give the event a resounding success.

On the agenda was the evaluation of road projects, hotels, exhibition stands and other tasks assigned the organising committee. It filtered from the conclave that the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries has already put in place a fish pond as well as an animal feed farm. Work is reportedly progressing on the roads and sources at the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing say all will be well by October. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is sensitising farmers ahead of a selection of those to take part in the much-awaited show.

However, organising committee members complained of insufficient financing to proceed with preparatory works. Mr Jean Nkuete enjoined all the stakeholders to prioritise the upcoming agro-pastoral show in their programmes. “The show is a great challenge for us to surmount”, he said. While calling on all to mobilise to make the event successful, the Vice PM urged them to submit their needs for financing.

Yesterday’s meeting held within the backdrop of the march 18, 2010 presidential decree which reorganised the 31 March 1978 National Commission of Agro-pastoral Show. The decree spells out the composition of the national commission and its missions. It is headed by the Minister of Agriculture, assisted by that of Livestock Fisheries and Animal Industries.

Yesterday’s meeting was attended, among others, by the Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, Aboubakary Sarki and the Governor of the South Region, Jules Maxcellin Ndjaga.