• Cameroon promotes cassava to cut wheat imports, boost exports
• Women-led cassava hubs planned; few operational, key pilot underway
• Hurdles remain: quality, infrastructure, funding challenge program scale

Cameroon is turning to cassava as a strategic crop to reduce its heavy reliance on imported wheat and to seize new opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Authorities hope that promoting cassava-based flour will not only strengthen food security but also boost women-led entrepreneurship in agro-industry.

The Ministry of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts (MINPMEESA) has been piloting initiatives to support women in cassava value chains. Officials say the program is now entering a new phase, with plans to establish agro-industrial hubs in key production basins. These hubs are meant to provide farmland, seed multiplication fields, small processing units, and training to women cooperatives.

While official projections are ambitious—up to 20 hubs across the country—only a few are currently operational. One pilot in Mbangassina, in the Centre region, has been showcased by the ministry as a model. There, local leaders allocated land to women’s groups, and construction of a cassava flour processing unit is reportedly underway. According to officials, once completed, it could produce several thousand tonnes annually.

Cameroon spends heavily on wheat imports each year, making the crop one of its biggest food import items. Official statistics estimate annual imports at around 800,000 tonnes. Business in Cameroon reported that in 2023, the bill amounted to CFA 178 billion (about $320.7 million), while other sources suggest it could be higher depending on global price swings.

By contrast, cassava is widely grown across the country and could provide a cheaper, local alternative. Some government estimates suggest processing cassava flour could cost less per tonne than imported wheat. Authorities also note that blending cassava flour into bread and pastry production—up to 15% of the mix—could help lower the import bill while supporting local farmers.

The government projects that each cassava hub could employ hundreds of women directly and create additional jobs indirectly through logistics, input supply, and trade. At scale, the initiative is touted as capable of generating more than 10,000 jobs.

Yet experts caution that several hurdles remain. Cassava flour’s quality and consistency can vary, which affects consumer acceptance in bakeries. Infrastructure for large-scale processing and storage is still limited, and the financing needs for building and maintaining the hubs are considerable. Cameroon’s earlier attempts at promoting cassava in bread blends have had mixed results, suggesting that technical, market, and behavioral barriers need to be addressed in parallel.

Cameroon is not alone. Nigeria and Ghana have also experimented with cassava flour substitution policies, with varying success. Nigeria, for instance, has long promoted 10–20% cassava flour inclusion in bread, but compliance has been uneven due to cost and quality issues. Cameroon’s strategy to link cassava hubs with AfCFTA markets could provide a new incentive—if the products can meet quality standards and remain competitive.

By placing women entrepreneurs at the heart of its cassava program, Cameroon is trying to merge social policy with industrial strategy. If the government can overcome challenges of scale, quality control, and financing, cassava could gradually ease the country’s wheat dependence and open doors in regional markets. But for now, the ambition remains ahead of the reality on the ground.

Mercy Fosoh