The assistance marks the fourth phase of the project to reduce poverty and boost agricultural productivity in the region.

Fifteen farmers from across the Littoral Region have each received some FCFA 1,2 million each as government support to boost pig farming and availability of pork for local consumption.  

The ceremony to hand over the gifts held in Bonanjo at the Littoral Regional Centre for Scientific Research and Innovation on Friday, January 10. The objective is to reduce poverty among farmers, increase local production and enable the country to edge toward being a veritable breadbasket in central Africa.

Beneficiaries received wheelbarrows, spades, watering cans, buckets, feed, brooms, rakes and machetes as well as pairs of rain boots and young pigs. The farm tools and pigs were handed over by Rachel Sen Kong of the Littoral Governor’s Office who presided over the ceremony.

Littoral Regional Delegate of the Centre for Scientific Research and Innovation, Ndoumbe Nkeng Michel, said the project to encourage pig farming in the region was necessary to make use of research findings in the sector.

Common Initiative Group President of the Community Green Farming in Mbanga, Nkweti Beatrice, said the gifts are significant to her production which has suffered great deficiency since five years of farming. The beneficiary alluded to swine fevers and animal diseases that needed enough resources than she could afford; reason why she lost many pigs in the process.

She expressed the fact that such animal diseases must be detected early enough otherwise it becomes expensive to treat and at times remedy is even impossible. For her, the assistance is timely, significant and necessary and gives her added incentive to boost follow-up and production.