The Minister of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy, and Handicrafts, Achille Bassilekin III, received Mr.Samuel Tony Obam Bikoue, President of the Association of Actors in the Cameroon Plantain Sector (AFBPC), in an audience this Tuesday, March 3. This meeting, detailed on the Ministry's official social media platforms, sets the stage for strategic co-funding dedicated to youth incubation.

At the heart of the discussions is the innovative program: "one youth, one market-oriented plantain plantation,one bank account, one future". This initiative aims to transform traditional farming into modern, structured entrepreneurship. The goal is to support about twenty young project leads through rigorous technical training, facilitated access to finance, and systematic banking integration.

The program goes beyond simple production; it aims to build a sector aligned with real market demands, ensuring sustainable job creation and strengthening national food security.

Expert analysis: plantain as an industrial lever for local content

For the SPX-CMR, structuring the plantain sector represents a major opportunity for the development of agro-industrial subcontracting.

"This incubation program is a crucial step in professionalizing national supply. By orienting plantations toward specific markets, we are preparing these youth to become reliable suppliers for processing industries. For the SPX-CMR, a structured plantain sector means new outlets for SMEs specialized in packaging, cold chain logistics, and industrial processing into flour or chips", explains the head of the subcontracting and partnership department at SPX-CMR.