Donga Mantung to witness big industrial transformation!

The initiator of the recently launched Frontier Agricultural and Industrial Programme-FAINAP, Dr. Fuh Calistus says it is a catalyst for the prospective industrialization of the division
Donga Mantung division in the North West region is at the verge of industrial transformation; following the recent launching of the Frontier Agricultural and Industrial Programme-FAINAP.
    On 4 November 2015, barely two days to the celebration of the 33rd anniversary of President Paul Biya’s accession to the supreme magistracy of Cameroon, all roads led to Nkambe, the divisional headquarters of Donga Mantung, where thousands, irrespective of their political leanings trooped in to witness the historic launching of FAINAP.
    The launching ceremony which pulled one of the biggest crowds in the history of public gatherings in Donga Mantung was presided over by H.E. Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry, Secretary of State for Mines and technological dev’t, who doubles as the initiator of FAINAP.
    The launching also saw in attendance the SDO for Donga Mantung, the DOs of Nkambe and Misaje sub divisions, internal and external elite, key partners of the programme like AFGRIC, APROCOM-PH, representatives in charge of local transformation in the ministry of industry, regional and divisional delegates of the ministries of industry, agriculture, livestock and lands as well as over a hundred fons of the division.

What FAINAP seeks to achieve?
    The program seeks to take advantage of the unique diversity of the climate, vegetation and crop suitability of the different sub-divisions of the division to boost the production of palm, corn, cassava and cattle. Initiators of FAINAP say these sectors would have to undergo industrial transformation.
This, they say, is feasible because: Ako is a complete forest zone and leading producer of  palm oil and forests with a climate and vegetation similar to that of the South West or Centre regions. Ndu has a near temperate climate with a huge tea plantation while its lower boundaries with Nwa around  Ntaba will support palms and maize; Misaje is typical savannah with one of the largest SODEPA cattle ranches in the country and is also the sub-division with the highest cattle production in the North West. It has huge expanses of maize, cassava and even palms farms, Nwa has the Mbaw plain stretching right to the Adamawa and suitable for industrial rice production, corn and palms and Nkambe central is great for cattle rearing, corn and cassava production.
    It should be said that such diversity is unique in the North West. The large boundary that the division shares with Nigeria to the west means that any amount of produce will have a more than ready market for raw and finished products.
    FAINAP also seeks to make such land available to elite, cooperatives and groups who will function in clusters of at last fifteen in order to allow factors of the production chain to be brought to such organized and enlarged groups.  Such factors include equipment for mechanized agriculture, basic infrastructure for evacuation, marketing and off taker agreements, and even research facilities.
    FAINAP will also create an industrial zone in Nkambe to be involved in the transformation of the palms, corn, cassava and cattle sectors to add value and create jobs and wells as generate wealth for local farmers.
    Already, FAINAP is multiplying moves to sign partnership agreements with national and international industrial and agricultural oriented groups to directly invest in the increase of production and in the transformation and industrial set up as well as marketing and branding of finished products.
    As a matter of fact, FAINAP is already getting into partnerships with South African (AFGRILAND), Dutch (AGT) German, Cameroon, World Bank and many other international agro-industry concerns. It is hoped that by the end of 2016, FAINAP would have signed at least 25 partnerships with major international agro-industrial entities which would invest directly in Cameroon at large and Donga Mantung in particular.
    FAINAP will also seek to lobby and make sure Donga Mantung is not left out by way of information for ongoing agro industrial projects in Cameroon. It will create awareness for people to take advantage of such major projects in Cameroon.


Who is the brain behind  FAINAP?
    The brain behind the FAINAP program is none else than the Donga Mantung development luminary, Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry, who is also the secretary of state in the ministry of mines, industry and technological development.
    He says the program seeks to enhance the palms, cassava, maize and livestock sectors in Donga Mantung Division by increasing quality and quantitative production with a view to establishing local industries for the valorization and transformation of these products.
    In his key note address at the launching of the FAINAP, Dr. Fuh Calistus said it is time for all the living forces of Donga Mantung, irrespective of party leanings, to put all efforts needed to realize this great dream. He added that the realization of this program will serve as a future legacy to testify that a son of the division was once in the ministry of industry and that this was his contribution to the industrialization of this border and strategic division.
    Dr. Fuh Calistus said the choice of Donga Mantung division for the program is based on the diversity of its fertile soils that favour the growth of these products, the conducive climate that favours the growth of cattle as evident in the existence of a Cattle Ranch in Dumbu in Misaje sub division and more especially the strategic border location of Donga Mantung division with the Federal Republic of Nigeria which is a big market and vibrant economy..

Objectives of FAINAP
    Presenting the objectives of the programme, Adamu Musa, the secretary general said the program was aimed at improving the economic viability of the division, ameliorating the living standards of the Donga Mantung people, creating job opportunities for the Donga Mantung youths and by so doing reducing rural exodus. He called on all to pull their efforts and support this initiative so that this great dream should come to fruition.
    The project coordinator, Madame Enow Ruth, said the strategic framework of the program has as principal focus the fons of the division who are custodians of their native lands and who shall be called upon to make land available to interested partners especially stakeholders from their villages for the setting up of mechanized farms.
    Thanking and appreciating the programme initiator on behalf of the division, the SDO for Donga Mantung, Ndode Mesape Bernard said it is a very big opportunity for the division and called for each and everyone to take advantage of this and work harder in order to achieve this dream. He expressed joy and pride that this great program is coming at a time when he is at the head of the division.

FAINAP in a nutshell
    The first phase of the project is the palm sector. The objective here is to increase production by encouraging stakeholders who can be grouped into clusters of at least is.  The program will also seek to set up palm nurseries in selected council areas in Donga Mantung.
    The seedlings from these nurseries shall be put at the disposal of interested partners and other stakeholder at subsidized rates to enable them set up small holders Palm plantations. The resultant effect shall be increase in production which shall serve as a bases for local transformation and hence industrialization of the division. This objective falls in line with the head of state’s vision of getting Cameroon to an emergent nation by 2035 through the valorization and transformation of our natural and agricultural products. The next sectors of this project which are the cassava, maize and livestock sectors shall be launched in the days ahead.
    It is also worth noting that the November 4, 2015 FAINAP launching ceremony was the first time Dr. Fuh Calistus was coming to the division after the October 2 cabinet shake- up in which he was maintained as the secretary of state in the ministry of mines, industry and technological development.
    In appreciation and thanks giving to President Paul Biya and the New Deal government, the fon of Nkambe removed the highest traditional masquerade to welcome home his illustrious son. Meanwhile all living forces from Misaje, his sub division of origin converged on the Nkambe police station to usher home their son in a triumphant manner.