The steering committee of the rice value chain development project in Cameroon has adopted a budget allocation of fifteen (15)billion CFA francs in 2025 to boost rice production in the North-West and West regions of the country.With a cost of just over 133 billion FCFA, financed by donors led by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the rice value chain development project is also being implemented in the Far North region. This initiative by the Cameroonian government aims to significantly increase local rice production over a period of five(5)years. 

This is intended to reduce the massive imports of this cereal, which burden the country's foreign exchange reserves every year, thereby contributing to the widening of the country's trade deficit.Indeed, rice and frozen fish are the main food products imported by Cameroon. According to the National Institute of Statistics (INS), in 2023, for example, the rice import bill reached 200.8 billion FCFA, down 24% from 264.4 billion FCFA in 2022. "India remains the leader with 55.2% of the market share, followed by Thailand, whose market share increased by 2 points compared to the previous year. These two countries supply 90.1% of the rice imported to Cameroon in 2023, the National Institute of Statistics report.

 Christelle koambi.