Programme launched to strengthen food value chain, boost climate resilience.

The initiative was unveiled during a ceremony held in Yaounde Wednesday, March 25, 2026. The launching ceremony also witnessed the implementation phase of the Scalable Success Model, SSM, project.

The programme is a government and interagency United Nations, UN, initiative involving the World Food Programme, WFP; Food and Agricultural Organisation, FAO; United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP; United Nations Industrial Development Organization, UNIDO, and United Nations Capital Development Fund, UNCDF.

The programme seeks to strengthen key food value chains and unlock blended finance to catalyze private sector investments for smallholder farmers, women-led and youth-led cooperatives, and agri businesses across the East, Adamawa and Far North regions of the country. 

The initiative acts as a critical catalytic funding for food systems innovations in the country, with the Islamic Development Bank pledging additional funding through the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security to scale up the project. 

Speaking at the launch, the UN Resident Coordinator, Dr Issa Sanogo, underscored the programme’s objective and implementation strategy in the country.

The project, the UN official said is mobilising 60% women and youth who participate in agricultural cooperatives or micro-enterprises to transform the lives of communities.

“CONVERGEFOOD is a response grounded on realities. The exploratory mission carried out in the East region, highlighted the significant potential of local cooperatives, the challenges linked to climate change, the lack of processing equipment, and limited access to markets…,” said Dr Sanogo. 

In response, Dr Sanogo said CONVERGEFOOD will provide concrete solutions such as more climate-resilient agriculture thanks to adapted seeds and improved climate information, modernization of local processing to meet market standards, and the enhancement of school canteens as a driver of local development.

He said “this exploratory mission was an opportunity to showcase how the One UN approach supports a whole-of-government approach by mobilizing several ministries”.

Dr Sanogo further noted that the programme is an opportunity to accelerate together a food transformation that is more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable. 

Agriculture source of prosperity

Meanwhile, speaking during the ceremony, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gabriel Mbairobe, urged partners involved in the project to work with determination and unity.

“Let us make our food system more productive, resilient, inclusive, and more sustainable, building a Cameroon where agriculture is a source of prosperity, dignity, and national pride,” he noted. 

Minister Mbairobe revealed that CONVERGEFOOD and SSM project are in addition to other government interventions and are fully in line with the three priorities of the Convergence Action Plan launched in February 2025.

The plan, he disclosed, seek to develop the rice value chain to reduce imports and improve climate resilience, and strengthen the substitution of imports. He stated that with the launch, the country positions itself as a reference model in the sub-region.

Project to develop micro sector 

For his part, Minister of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts, Achille Bassilekin III, said 60% of the Cameroonian population is under 25 years old.

He added that the 15-35 age group represents 37% of the active population. Stating that with the public sector being unable to offer enough jobs to absorb the issue of youth unemployment, Minister Bassilekin III said it is necessary to support and stimulate all self-employment initiatives. 

“These are figures from the 2024 general census of businesses, with a potential of 2,400,000 informal production units. These are figures which, in the dynamic of support and especially the formalization of our economy, we must capture so that we can expand the number of formal SMEs,” Bassilekin III said. 

Commenting on the CONVERGEFOOD programme, Minister Bassilekin III announced that his Ministry will reinforce the modernization of value chains through the reduction of post-harvest losses and increase income.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3743 of Friday March 27, 2026