Cameroon program graduates second cohort of ENABLE Youth agripreneurs

The ENABLE Youth Cameroon (EYC) program aims to train 1,536 young Cameroonians—targeting 40% female participation—and create at least 600 agricultural enterprises. On 14 April, 273 agripreneurs (110 females and 163 males) graduated, while another batch of 695 (254 females and 441 males) graduated on 30 April at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel. All 968 graduates received 1 million CFA franc (USD1,690) incentive packages to boost their agribusiness start-ups while awaiting the funds for their business projects through banks and other financial institutions.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER), Gabriel Mbairobe, presided over the ceremony. The Minister of Fisheries and Livestock, Dr Taïga; the Minister for Youth and Civic Education, Mounouna Foutsou; and the Minister of Women Empowerment and the Family, Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa. Other attendees at the joy-filled graduation included the National Coordinator of the Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (AVC_DP), Mme Marie Jeanine Nkodo; the IITA country representative and Technical Coordinator of the EYC, Komi Fiaboe; the EYC coordination unit; the coordinators of the Youth Agribusiness Incubation Centers (YABICS); the YABICS host institution directors; senior officers from the different ministries; and the young agripreneurs. The successful completion of the program represents a huge win for the joint effort of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Cameroon government to help young people create jobs for themselves and fight hunger and poverty in the country.

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