• Germany funds €4m agriculture, soil health projects in northern Cameroon
• RESEAU and Soil Matters aim to boost climate resilience
• Projects promote agroecology, sustainable land and water management

Two agriculture and environmental projects financed by the German government have been officially launched in Garoua, northern Cameroon. With a combined budget of about €4m (roughly 2.16 billion CFA Francs) they aim to strengthen climate resilience in farming and improve soil health in one of the country’s key agricultural zones.

The initiatives are: the “RESEAU” project (Climate Reinforcement of Cameroonian Agriculture with respect to Water and Soil Resources) and “Soil Matters: Innovations for Soil Health and Agroecology”.

The projects are financed through German development cooperation, implemented mainly by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), with the Soil Matters initiative also co-funded by the European Union.

The RESEAU project, which entered its implementation phase in September 2025, will run through August 2028 with funding of €3m, equivalent to roughly CFA1.6bn. It focuses on improving agricultural resilience by strengthening water and soil resource management and promoting science-based decision-making in territorial planning.

The second project, Soil Matters, is scheduled for 34 months from January 2026 to October 2028 and has a budget of €1m, or about CFA560m. The programme aims to expand proven agroecological practices and improve soil fertility across agricultural landscapes in northern Cameroon.

Both initiatives are part of the priorities of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which focuses on climate protection and environmental sustainability in Africa. By combining scientific data generation, institutional cooperation and technical innovation, the programmes are expected to support more sustainable agricultural production systems and improve the management of natural resources.

Ahead of the launch ceremony, the Head of German Cooperation held talks with regional authorities in Garoua. The German diplomat was received by Joseph Densou, Secretary-General representing the Governor of the North Region. The meeting, attended by representatives of German development institutions including GIZ and KfW as well as technical partners, focused on conservation and sustainable development challenges in the region.

Discussions also addressed cross-border commitments, particularly the implementation of anti-poaching measures in the Binational Sena Oura-Bouba Ndjidda (BSB) complex linking Cameroon and Chad. German-funded activities in the area were presented to regional authorities, including biodiversity protection efforts, ecological security initiatives and programmes supporting eco-development for communities living around the protected areas.

Future cooperation and environmental protection

According to the German diplomat, Berlin plans to expand its engagement in environmental conservation in northern Cameroon.

“In the perspective of a fifth phase of funding expected at the beginning of 2027, German cooperation intends to intensify its efforts to improve the management and protection of the Bouba Ndjidda National Park and increase the positive benefits of this protection for neighbouring communities,” he said.

German cooperation has supported several initiatives in the Binational Sena Oura-Bouba Ndjidda complex, including anti-poaching programmes and institutional support for management bodies overseeing the cross-border ecosystem. Following the official engagements, the German cooperation delegation carried out field visits to several flagship projects financed by German development programmes in the region.

The new agricultural initiatives are expected to strengthen Cameroon-Germany development cooperation while supporting climate adaptation, sustainable land use and improved agricultural productivity in northern Cameroon.

Mercy Fosoh, with Business in Cameroon