The “programme for the improvement of the competitiveness of family agro-pastoral farms”, known by its French acronym as (ACEFA) have offered financial assistance worth 152.636.290 to some 54 common initiative groups (CIGS) involved in the agricultural and livestock sectors in the Menoua and Upper Nkam divisions of the West Region. The farmers associations and groups, 40 from Menuoa and 14 from Upper Nkam divisions received the sum of 86.523.745 frs being the first phase, while 43.217.100 frs will be paid in the months ahead, after the supervisors have satisfied the proper investment and efficient use of this first disbursement. Handing over these cheques to group leaders and projects authotities the national co-ordinator of ACEFA Dr. Bouba Moumini revealed that ACEFA and its financial partners’ greatest concern is to encourage quantitative and qualitative production in the agricultural and livestock domains. According to Dr Bouba Moumini the main aim of the financial assistance is to increase the average income of the farmers and livestock producers, improve the quality of products to make them have access to markets out of Cameroon, where the goods may face competition and above all empowering the poorest by offering them such immediate income opportunities. He said he knows that the financial subvention is coming to strengthened these CIGs in thier ongoing production programmes,adding that ACEFA main goal is tackling poverty and improving living standard of households. He reminded the beneficiaries that the list of CIGs were selected by the various divisional commissions that had farmers’ representatives. He said that it was for this reason that the farmers groups chosen have to invest the money judiciously to defend the work of the commissions.

Earlier the regional delegate of agricultural and rural development for the West, Mr Tenkeu Victor thanked ACEFA for the financial assistance to the 54 CIGs. He told the farmers groups that the money offered them should be a unique opportunity to defend their interest in the Agric and livestock sectors,which he described as “crucial sector for our Economy”. He said the government and foreign donors created ACEFA structure as a away to protect and support the agriculture and livestock sectors,stressing that it’s a sound domestic policy to allow growth flourish. He announced that an expectation team will later go down to the field to see the effective use of the investment funds, adding that the subvention was allocated to the CIGs according to the projects they presented. Mr Tenkeu Victor told the farmers to prepare well for the Ebolowa Agro-Pastoral show that is billed for December 9th – 14th 2010. He reminded the farmers that their participation and representation at the Ebolowa rendez-vous should be an opportunity for the West Region to proof its comparative advantage over other Regions as bread basket of the nation in agric-livestock sectors. Talking to the press Mme Gouceno Beatrice of GIC des Agriculteurs et agricultri eleveurs de Shaa Bafou Menoua said the financial assistance will help them deploy more resources that will help them integrate to other international markets, she said they are involved in producing potatoes, cabbages,mais,tomato etc that are imported to neighbouring countries. The National coordinator was accompanied by the regional coordinator for the West Mr Munshikpo Adolphe Vernet.