(Business in Cameroon) – Cameroon’s National Center for Studies and Experimentation of Agricultural Machinery (Ceneema) has officially taken over the Ebolowa tractor assembly plant. This agreement, signed on November 13 in Yaoundé by Ceneema’s Director General, Andrée Caroline Mélanie Ekotto Minkouna, and the Minister of Economy, Alamine Ousmane Mey, also transfers all related assets to Ceneema.
Ceneema now owns and manages the plant and all equipment from the 2012 agreements between Cameroon and India. These deals were supported by CFA21.3 billion in funding from Exim Bank of India, which provided the country with its first 1,000 tractors.
In a second phase, valued at CFA42 billion, the Ebolowa plant manufactured 239 large-capacity tractors, 116 heavy-duty machines, 150 utility vehicles, harvesters, cassava planters, and more. Ceneema plans to use this equipment to modernize farming practices and increase agricultural production across Cameroon.
The machinery will be deployed to key farming zones and mechanization hubs across the country. This will improve service delivery by reducing delays and cutting transport costs, as regional hubs will be stocked with equipment closer to the farmers. This change means fewer scheduling conflicts and quicker access to tools when needed.
The Ebolowa plant’s journey has been challenging. Construction began in 2010 with an estimated budget of CFA18.825 billion, but delays caused significant issues. By 2011, the plant was far from complete. About 100 tractors assembled during testing were left outside, exposed to rain and sun, due to unfinished storage facilities.
Now under Ceneema’s leadership, the plant has a chance to fulfill its original purpose: driving agricultural innovation and equipping farmers with the tools they need to succeed.
