Cameroon Wants to Become Central Africa’s Wheat Hub

Cameroon is making efforts to become the main producer of wheat for Central Africa. The country is already testing its own wheat seeds in Chad and Gabon and is looking to extend this effort across all the countries within the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC). According to the Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation (Minresi), Cameroon sees itself as the go-to wheat source for its neighbors. “The countries in our region are counting on Cameroon,” said Eddy Ngankeu, Technical Advisor No. 2 at Minresi, in a video message where he confirmed the country’s ambitious vision to lead the region’s wheat production.

Cameroon’s confidence comes with reason. “We’re the only country in the sub-region that has five agro-ecological zones,” Ngankeu pointed out. “This unique landscape means we can develop a variety of seeds here that will grow well in the other CEMAC countries too. That’s our strength.”

Beyond its favorable climate and landscape, Cameroon brings valuable experience in wheat production. Back in 1975, Cameroon launched the Société de développement du blé (Sodeble) in Wassande, a town about 80 kilometers from Ngaoundéré in the Adamawa region. Sodeble was a major wheat producer, reaching an impressive 10,000 tons per year before it eventually had to shut down. But after years away from large-scale wheat farming, Cameroon has decided to bring wheat production back—this time with a focus on producing high-quality seeds through the Agricultural Research Institute for Development (IRAD).

Cameroon’s push to be the wheat leader has drawn international interest, especially from the WecaWheat Collaborative Network, a coalition of 52 countries in West and Central Africa. WecaWheat was established in 2023 in response to the war in Ukraine, which caused cereal prices to spike across Africa, exposing the continent’s dependence on imported grains. At WecaWheat’s second summit last month in Abuja, Nigeria, Cameroon was urged to help its neighbors become self-sufficient in growing and processing wheat. Cameroon’s advances in research and wheat seed experimentation through IRAD have been impressive enough that it may even host the next WecaWheat summit.

Today, Cameroon has developed around 50 wheat seed varieties, which are being tested on nearly 300 hectares of land in Wassande. The country hopes to create a full wheat production chain, allowing it to end its dependence on costly wheat imports—a major expense, costing over CFA250 billion every year.

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Tags: Central Africa, Central African Economic and Monetary Community, CEMAC, WecaWheat Collaborative Network, seeds, wheat, Cameroon