ENABLE Youth Cameroon agripreneurs win awards during SIALY 2021
Agriculture is an economic powerhouse in Cameroon, engaging more than 50% of the nation’s economically active population. IITA has been working in the country for several decades, promoting best practices and introducing technologies to improve productivity in the sector and increase the income of smallholder farmers in particular.
IITA participated in the 7th edition of the Yaoundé International Agribusiness Exhibition (SIALY 2021) last July held at the National Museum. The Institute showcased IITA’s innovations in the development of agriculture, particularly in seed systems, integrated pest management (IPM), and soil fertility management.
One of the highlights of IITA’s exhibition was the workshop organized as a side event. This emphasized IITA’s achievements in developing agriculture in Cameroon. The exhibition also gave aspiring Agripreneurs an opportunity to display their products and talk about their enterprises.
Visitors to the IITA display included the Cameroonian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Mr Gabriel Mbairobe, the representative of GIZ Director Christine Schuster, and the representative of the Canadian High Commissioner to Cameroon Richard Bale.
The Agripreneurs won four out of the seven Prizes of Excellence awarded by Cameroon’s Enterprises Upgrade Office (BMN: Bureau de Mise à Niveau des Entreprises au Cameroun) at the end of the fair. The winning agripreneurs were MAC Food Sarl for its sorrel wine brand, Le Bon Augustin; Isiflour Group for their corn porridge; Walakwe Food Sarl for the bitter cola syrup brand, WEP Syrup; and NANKOUA with its brand, Poulet pour tous. They won the first, third, fourth, and fifth place prizes, respectively.