Climate Change Threatens Cameroon’s Food Security, Experts Say at CEPI Webinar

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

Experts have warned that climate change is a threat to food security in Cameroon as extreme climatic events; poor road conditions and lack of suitable infrastructure aggravate post-harvest losses.

With climate change continuing to disrupt food systems and worsen economic vulnerabilities, the Cameroon Economic Policy Institute (CEPI), in collaboration with the Henri Kouam Foundation, hosted a webinar on April 25 to address the growing threat of post-harvest losses in the agricultural sector.

Held under the theme of the webinar was “How to reduce agricultural losses linked to climate change" The webinar which is part of the CEPI Green Agriculture Programme brought together 16 participants, including researchers, policy experts, and agripreneurs, to discuss the impact of climate change on food production and explore practical solutions.

CEPI National Coordinator Haiwang Djamo stressed the urgency of the matter, emphasizing CEPI’s commitment to shaping sustainable agricultural policies through its Green Agriculture program.

Technical, infrastructural difficulties

Dang Attouh, Associate Researcher at CEPI, said there is an urgent need to address agricultural losses linked to climate change, as they compromise food security and accentuate Cameroon's trade deficit.

He points out that climatic disruptions affect agricultural production, transport and food preservation, notably due to high temperatures, degraded roads and lack of suitable infrastructure.

“We need to open up agricultural basins, introduce agricultural insurance, strengthen technical support for producers, and better implementation of existing policies such as the SDSR 2020-2030 to increase the sector's resilience,” Dang Attouh said.

For Forbané Gihslin, Managing Director of SOAGRIBA, the situation is compounded by serious technical and structural deficiencies. He emphasized the inadequacy of infrastructure, the lack of suitable equipment such as plotters, and difficulties in transporting crops and produce, which make farmers particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

“These technical challenges are compounded by financial obstacles, the absence of support policies, the lack of subsidies, and a political will and mentality that are not conducive to a profound transformation of the agricultural sector,” said Forbané Gihslin.

For him, the digitization of agriculture is an urgent necessity. “Climate change, by accelerating losses, should spur modernization of the sector and greater integration of technology,” Gihslin said.

He recommended considering farmers not just as victims, but as players in the fight against climate change. This means training them in new practices, promoting reforestation, supporting research into resilient agricultural varieties, and above all investing in technological solutions for more efficient and sustainable agriculture.

Agripreneurship as Game Changers

Adding to the discussion, agripreneur and founder of Agripreneurs Food Security (AFS), Benoît Zogo, underscored the role of youth-led innovation in the fight against post-harvest losses.

He stressed that climate change is forcing young farmers to innovate, network and adopt resilient approaches. In particular, he called for investment in agricultural infrastructure, training for young people, the promotion of public-private partnerships, and the strengthening of value chains.

For him, modern, sustainable and technological agriculture is a strategic response to today's climatic and socio-economic challenges.

Climate change represents a major threat to food security in Cameroon, particularly through its effects on the transport of agricultural produce. CEPI's research reveals that 15-35% of agricultural produce deteriorates before reaching markets, exacerbating food insecurity and economic losses.

About CEPI

The Economic Policy Institute of Cameroon (CEPI) aims to improve the quality of economic policies through evidence-based research, debate and advocacy to reduce poverty and improve the livelihoods of Cameroonians.