Some 200 members from across the country have been elected to give an added push to the once vibrant institution. A list of newly-elected members into the Chamber of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Forestry and Wildlife has been constituted and hopes are high that the once vibrant institution which almost went dormant as a result of the economic crisis of the 1980s could regain its steam and live up the challenge of the sector today. The list of 200 members was published yesterday by the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Jean Nkuete, following a nationwide election that held on July 11, 2010. The 200-man team comprises agriculture with 88 members, fisheries with 24, livestock with 44 members and forestry and wildlife that have 44 members.

Talking to CT yesterday after the publication of the list, the Secretary General of the Chamber of Agriculture, Dr. Nwana Bernard, described the list as historic given that the elections held decades after the first one in 1986. “The names, in alphabetical order do not contain the position of anybody. The mandate of the elected members will be validated by a special commission that will be set up by the Vice-PM, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and from the validated list the Head of State will appoint the President of the Chamber”, Dr. Nwana said, adding that “another commission (call it age commission, because its oldest member will head the commission), will elect the first vice president. The rapporteur will be elected by the 200 members and the four presidents of sections who have ranks and prerogatives of vice president will be elected at the same time as the bureau of the four sections”.

With the Chamber of Agriculture considered as the farmers’ parliament, the newly elected members will be expected to defend the interest of farmers, protect them, represent the farmers in decision-making organisations and institutions, train the farmers on how to carryout their activities as well as represent them at national and international agricultural forums. According to the Secretary General, the members will have to live up to the task of being consulted by decision-makers. “They are supposed to go between the government and the farmers and it is their duty to organise seminars to train farmers in all domains and to ably stand as their spokesmen in all the agricultural domains”, Dr. Nwana stressed. .

Peculiar about the new team is its growth from 60 – 200 members and officials say this testifies to the importance the Head of State attaches to the agricultural sector. Created in 1955, the Chamber succeeded in the yesteryears to create farmer banks like the defunct Amacam, Credit Agricole, et al.