Gov’t intensifies drive to boost sales of locally produced rice.

The event, organised under the Agricultural Value Chain Development Support Project Phase II, PADFA II, was chaired by agriculture minister Gabriel Mbairobe. 

It brought together producers, traders, consumers and public officials to identify concrete solutions to longstanding barriers preventing Cameroonian-grown rice from competing effectively with imported varieties on the domestic market.

It emerged from the meeting that despite the existence of a distribution network, including around 60 sales points in Yaounde alone, imported rice continues to dominate the market, mainly from Asian countries. 

This persists even as stakeholders report that consumers recognise the quality and reputation of locally grown rice.

According to stakeholders, the country produced more than 52,000 tonnes of paddy rice, yet spent about 320 billion CFA francs on rice imports in 2024. 

Average annual consumption stands at roughly 25 kilogrammes per person. Participants at the Yaounde meeting sampled locally produced varieties from Ndop, Yagoua, Tonga and Faro, as discussions centred on increasing domestic consumption and improving market penetration.

Speaking at the event, Minister Mbairobe stressed the importance of strengthening production at the beginning of the value chain as supply constraints remain a key issue.

“The projects implemented by the government over several years have already absorbed 1,000 billion CFA francs for an increase in production of less than 100,000 tonnes of milled rice,” Minister Mbairobe said.

He added that current output remains far below national demand and ambitions. The minister called on all stakeholders to work together to reverse the trend of import dependency.

Raising local awareness

Data presented during the meeting showed that in 2020, local rice supply stood at 140,710 tonnes against a demand of approximately 577,000 tonnes. According to stakeholders, national targets aim for production of 460,000 tonnes by 2027 and 750,000 tonnes by 2030. 

On her part, PADFA II coordinator Hélène Marigoh outlined key constraints affecting the sector, including weak promotion of local rice, limited distribution networks and relatively high prices. She said the Yaounde discussions were expected to result in clear action points to improve competitiveness and strengthen communication strategies across the value chain.

For the President of the Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Forestry, Martin Paul Mindjos Noumeni, the country has strong production potential across all regions but lacks sufficient value addition and market visibility.

“The rice produced locally is not sufficiently valued. We must find solutions so that local rice is better promoted and more widely consumed,” he said.

Producers also highlighted operational and environmental challenges affecting output, particularly in northern regions. Julienne Djakao, a rice producer and processor, pointed to climate-related constraints such as irregular rainfall, high temperatures and water management difficulties.

“The challenges are linked to the scarcity of rain, the heat and water management. We also have the responsibility to encourage Cameroonians to consume local products. It is encouraging to see that awareness efforts are beginning to bear fruit,” she said.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3752 of Monday April 06, 2026