An Agropole programme launched in Diwom Monday seeks to move production 207.000 chickens per year to 528.000.

The Minister Delegate in the Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT), Yaouba Abdoulaye carried out a one-day working visit to Diwom, a locality situated in Yabassi, Nkam Division of the Littoral Region, on Monday November 4, where he laid the foundation stone for the construction of a chicken production and processing unit on a 25-hectare surface area. The new acquisition will serve as a central market for local producers, chick suppliers and farmers in poultry products. He launched the session by a tour of two locally-based poultries, which amongst others will henceforth supply the newly created factory.

Addressing the population that turned out for the august gathering, Yaouba Abdoulaye explained that this project results from an effective concertation between public and private sectors. Lauding the private initiative by Mr. and Mrs. Ebong, he added that government spared no efforts in sustaining this move geared towards boosting poultry yield from 207.000 chickens per year to 528.000, being 1500 fowl per day; alongside the processing of chicken into bi-products like sausage, pâté and other preservation forms. Of the FCFA 1.6 billion financial bulk, the Yabassi Chicken production and processing unit benefits from a FCFA 661 million government subsidy through the “Agropole Programme,” whose convention was signed between Mr. Ebong and Jean Claude Medou, Agropole’s National Coordinator.

While calling on the Cameroonian Diaspora to follow such examples in the transfer of acquired experience and technologies to lead the country towards its emergence, his endnote warned the parties concerned against any breach or misuse of the resources placed at their disposal. The Minister Delegate handed over animal feed and some chicks to kick of the economic activity.

The overall objectives in the short and medium terms centre around job creation, the modernisation of traditional production methods, combat food shortage given the ever increasing consumer demand, and ensure quality goods while maintaining the economic balance threatened by huge importation of foreign foodstuffs. Meanwhile, the host community and their local authorities, counts social amenities like electrification, improved road network, water sources among others as fallouts.