- Government seeks consultants to redesign governance of Camagro platform
- Tool launched in 2011 never gained traction despite public backing
- Relaunch aims to improve price transparency and market information
Cameroon’s government is moving to revive Camagro, its national agropastoral information platform, more than a decade after it was launched and largely fell out of use.
In a call for expressions of interest reviewed by Business in Cameroon, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (Minpostel) announced a preselection process for consulting firms and operators tasked with redesigning the platform’s governance model, institutional framework and sustainable operating structure.
“The Camagro platform now requires a thorough restructuring of its governance framework, institutional anchoring and operating model to ensure its sustainability, performance, security and effective adoption by all stakeholders,” the ministry said in the notice.
Behind the procedure lies an attempt to revive an older project that never fully took hold. Launched in 2011, Camagro was meant to give farmers, traders and consumers reliable access to agricultural market information, including food prices, product availability and commercial trends.
In 2015, the Ministry of Trade signed a partnership agreement with state-owned telecom operator Camtel to feed the platform with price data collected in markets across the country. An SMS system was also planned for rural areas without internet access.
Despite these plans, the platform failed to gain real traction. It was transferred to Minpostel in 2016 and has since remained on the sidelines. The current effort suggests the government wants to understand why it did not work before simply upgrading the technology.
The consultant selected will begin with a full diagnosis, including a technical audit, legal review, assessment of management mechanisms and identification of gaps. The mission also includes mapping all relevant stakeholders — sector ministries, private operators, producer organizations and technical partners — and defining their roles.
The relaunch comes at a time when the agropastoral sector remains central to the economy and to food security. By making it easier to compare prices and increasing market transparency, Camagro is meant to reduce information gaps between producers, middlemen and traders, which often affect price formation and bargaining power.
The requested study goes beyond governance. It must propose an economic and financial model to ensure the platform’s long-term viability, with performance indicators, service quality standards and data protection mechanisms. That credibility will be key for a tool expected to handle sensitive information on volumes, prices and distribution channels.
Amina Malloum
