By Boris Esono Nwenfor
BUEA, PAV – The Cameroon Economic Policy Institute (CEPI) of the Henri Kouam Foundation has urged government and private-sector actors to reform market structures and invest in rural infrastructure to fully harness the commercial potential of Cameroon’s cassava sector. The call was made during a working session on November 24 with agriculture value-chain practitioners under the theme “The Critical Role of Markets in Unlocking the Full Commercial Potential of Cameroon’s Cassava Value Chain.”
The session brought together civil society leaders, researchers, and agro-industry stakeholders to explore practical market-based solutions capable of transforming cassava into a high-value commodity for farmers and industries.
CEPI Executive Director, Henri Kouam opened the session with a stark assessment of the sector, revealing that retailer marketing efficiency in Cameroon stands at just 14.20 per cent. He said the low figure reflects “severe systemic leakage and high transaction costs that ultimately penalise both consumers and producers.”
Value Chain Specialist Stella Achu identified infrastructure gaps as the biggest barrier to market access, arguing that the perishable nature of cassava makes transportation costly and risky. “The bulkiness of fresh cassava root, combined with its short shelf life, is a financial death sentence for farmers without proper logistics,” she noted.
Supporting this view, analyst Fuh Jarvis revealed that 45 to 60 per cent of cassava is still transported from farms to local markets by head or back-load. This, he said, “severely limits distribution and increases food spoilage.”
The session also examined the immense, yet untapped, industrial market potential. Agro-entrepreneur Nshom Nelson stressed that Cameroon can boost farmer incomes by shifting focus from selling fresh roots to expanding processing industries.
CEPI research fellow Tassah Ivo disclosed that Cameroon’s industrial demand for high-quality cassava flour is approximately 60,000 tons annually, driven mainly by the agro-food and beverage sector. However, domestic production supplies only about 500 tons per year, forcing industries to depend on imports. “This deficit is starving our local value chain of crucial investment and market stability,” he added, calling for stronger integration between farmers and processors.
Key Policy Recommendations
CEPI and its partners outlined three major reform priorities: Promote Retailer Formalisation and Cooperatives. To improve the current 14.20% retailer efficiency, the institute recommends restructuring traders into formal cooperatives to ease access to credit, strengthen bargaining power, and reduce informal-sector bottlenecks.
Invest in Rural Market Infrastructure: CEPI urged the government to prioritise grading 1,500 km of feeder roads annually, and an additional 500 km of regional roads. The establishment of processing hubs and cold storage facilities, they argued, would significantly reduce the heavy post-harvest losses caused by the root’s rapid deterioration.
Strengthen Industrial Linkages and Enforce Standards: Establishing national quality standards for cassava flour and starch would help close the massive industrial demand gap and offer stable off-take agreements for producer groups.
The foundation emphasised that formalised markets and a strong processing ecosystem are essential for transforming cassava into a competitive industrial crop capable of creating jobs and driving Cameroon’s economic growth.
