(Business in Cameroon) – A recent report on the state of activities in Cameroon for 2024, published by the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Center (SBEC), reveals that nearly 70% of households in the country rely on agriculture, small-scale trade, and income-generating activities (IGAs) to make a living. These sectors have become critical sources of employment, especially in rural areas, and are playing a significant role in reducing poverty.
According to the study, agriculture is a vital part of the country’s economy. Smallholder farmers cultivate crops such as cocoa, coffee, cotton, and oil palm, all of which serve as major income sources for rural communities. The World Bank estimates that agriculture makes up about 20% of Cameroon’s GDP and employs over 60% of the active population.
Trade is another important contributor to the economy. Urban and rural markets are bustling with small traders buying and selling both local and imported goods, helping drive local economic growth. The informal economy, including street vendors and market traders, plays a key role in supporting the livelihoods of many Cameroonians.
To further enhance the impact of these activities in reducing poverty, the government and its partners have implemented programs to support the most vulnerable populations. Through the pilot phase of its Social Safety Nets Project (PFS), which ran from 2013 to 2022, the World Bank helped provide cash transfers to 385,500 households, or roughly 2.4 million people, totaling CFA 54.5 billion.
Building on the success of this initiative, the World Bank and Cameroon launched a new project in December 2023, worth CFA 146 billion, to benefit 356,000 poor households. The World Bank is contributing CFA 92.75 billion for 217,000 households, while the Cameroonian government is providing CFA 54 billion for 138,500 households. This project, running from 2023 to 2028, aims to expand social protection coverage to the most disadvantaged households and improve access to income-generating opportunities. It will also support entrepreneurship among young urbanites aged 18 to 35.
SBEC claims to have invested $20,000 (over CFA 12 million) in 2022 to fund one-year training programs across five regions of Cameroon (Centre, North-West, South-West, West, and Littoral). These programs were designed to equip women and displaced youth with practical skills to help them become more self-sufficient and better integrated into their communities.
The training included courses on producing household detergents (such as cube soaps, laundry powder, and bleach), making medicinal balms, hair oils, and petroleum jelly, processing natural fruit juices, and recycling waste to create valuable products. A total of 37 women were trained in the North-West region, 24 in the South-West, 9 youth in the South-West, 40 people in the Littoral, and 40 in the Centre region. These efforts have led to increased incomes for women and youth, more women- and youth-led projects, and higher household incomes across the board.
