Cameroon's coffee sector has shown signs of improvement, with a 9.86% increase in coffee commercialized in the 2024/2025 campaign, reaching 11,637 tonnes. This growth is notable, especially for Arabica coffee, which saw a significant increase in exports. However, despite this progress, the sector still faces significant structural challenges that need to be addressed.
According to Ngwé, the challenges facing the sector include aging coffee plantations, low productivity, high input costs, and difficulties in attracting young people to the industry. The Interprofessional Council of Cocoa and Coffee (CICC) believes that the problem of Cameroon's coffee is not just about volume, but also about productivity, quality, transformation, commercialization, and creating value.
To address these challenges, the CICC has launched several initiatives, including the Relance d'urgence ciblée du café (PURC-Café) program, which aims to increase coffee production and quality. The program includes measures such as strengthening producer capacities, providing quality plant material, and rehabilitating and densifying plantations.
Another initiative is the New Generation program, which aims to support young producers in becoming entrepreneurs. The program provides training, plants, and inputs, as well as technical accompaniment and market access. The CICC is also working on improving coffee quality through the Café d'excellence program, which focuses on agricultural practices and post-harvest operations.
The CICC is also promoting the development of specialty coffee and improving the competitiveness of Cameroonian coffee on the international market. The organization is working on structuring the commercialization of coffee, including the development of origin brands and the multiplication of tasting opportunities.
In addition to these initiatives, the CICC is also promoting the consumption of Cameroonian coffee on the domestic market. The organization believes that developing the local market is crucial to the growth of the sector and is working to promote coffee consumption and valorize national roasters and transformers.
The CICC's efforts to promote Cameroonian coffee are also focused on international markets, where the organization is working to improve the country's reputation as a producer of high-quality coffee. The organization's initiatives aim to take advantage of the growing demand for specialty coffee and to position Cameroonian coffee as a premium product.
Key points
- Cameroon's coffee sector faces structural challenges despite recent growth.
- The Interprofessional Council of Cocoa and Coffee has launched several initiatives to address these challenges.
- The organization is working to promote the development of specialty coffee and improve the competitiveness of Cameroonian coffee on the international market.
