The Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Production, MNEPIA, will this year focus its attention on implementing the recent presidential directives that all be done to increase agricultural production and output.

Speaking last Wednesday February 9 at the Yaounde Conference Centre while offering New Year wishes to Minister Aboubakar Sarki, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Ouli Ndongo Monique recalled that the ministry has continued to receive commendation from the public on the brilliant performance of its exhibitors at the Ebolowa National Agro-pastoral show.

Last year was difficult for the ministry as it underwent a FCFA 4 Bbllion cut in its budget in the last quarter, the Permanent Secretary recalled. However, its various projects and programmes impacted the lives of millions of livestock and fisheries farmers from 10,000 Common Initiative Groups, CIGs, all over the country. Other achievements of 2010 included the FCFA 2.4 billion European Union assistance to the National Laboratory for Controlling the Quality of Imported Veterinary Products under construction in Douala, and government assistance to Cameroonian fish farmers in the Bakassi Peninsula and the Lake Chad Basin. The lack of support staff, she said, was slowing down work in the field.

Taking the floor later, the Minister said in spite of the Head of State’s appreciation of the performance of the ministry’s exhibitors at the Ebolowa Agro-pastoral Show, much still had to be done to boost production. As evidence of government’s determination to ensure that livestock and fisheries production is increased, the ministry’s budget for 2011 has slightly been increased, while most ministries suffered cuts, Dr Sarki said.

Earlier on Monday February 7 at the opening of the annual conference of officials of the ministry in Yaounde, Dr Aboubakar Sarki had lauded the participation of his ministry at the recently concluded National Agro pastoral Show in Ebolowa, describing it as “brilliant and highly appreciated.” He said the performance was not enough, reason why the Head of State called for the putting in place of a new agricultural policy that would enable the livestock sub sector to also contribute to economic growth, job creation, improvement in food security, and poverty reduction. Focus for now is on small scale farmers to enable them boost their production, the Minister explained. In order to achieve this goal, many projects have been initiated to enable them benefit, adding that local staff will continue to provide technical backstopping to these farmers, he explained.