WASHINGTON, October 27, 2016– The World Bank Board of Executive Director approved today $100 million to help Cameroon improve the productivity and competitiveness of targeted livestock production systems in the country over the next six years.
The Livestock Development Project will help build resilience to climate change and improve the nutrition status of vulnerable populations. The project will help in the commercialization of their products for the targeted beneficiaries, and provide immediate and effective response in the event of an eligible crisis or emergency.
“Agriculture plays a significant role in Cameroon’s socio-economic development, and with livestock employing 30 percent of the rural population, it is important to help the sector contribute towards economic growth, reduction of food insecurity and malnutrition, and job creation.” says Elisabeth Huybens, World Bank Country Director for Cameroon. In addition to that, a clear opportunity is offered to address some of the effects resulting from climate change such as reduced agricultural production, natural resource degradation, food insecurity, and threats to the livelihoods of its vulnerable populations.
This project will benefit livestock rearing households, including pastoralists, livestock farmer’s organizations and their microfinance institutions, small and medium scale private livestock operators and vulnerable groups, particularly women and youth. Livestock support services, including the public livestock research and extension services, NGOs, and service providers involved in the targeted livestock value chains in the project areas will also improve as a result of the project.
“The project will establish “Productive Partnerships” between livestock producer organizations and buyers. It will support activities geared to women’ groups/organizations to enhance household nutrition as well as specific investments for women such as expansion of women's agricultural activities and productivity,” says Omar Lyasse, Sr. Agriculture Specialist and Task Team leader for the project.
The first component of the Livestock Development Project will improve access to key livestock services for livestock producers, especially animal health services, and access to improved genetic material and high quality inputs, in addition to building basic capacity of core public services. The second component, will improve productivity and marketing for the pastoral communities of smallholder households while restoring the productive means of the poorest and vulnerable households in the North and Far North. The third component will support business linkages between livestock producer organizations, buyers and financial institutions, and promote value addition at producer organization levels where business opportunities exist. Finally, the last component will support implementation of the first three components, inform the project execution and performance, while supporting studies that are essential to the project.
