The people of Donga Mantung were on November 4 2015 awash
with a startling revelation of the huge unexploited natural resources found in
the Division that if properly harnessed could make a turn around in the
economic growth that would affect the economic lives of both Cameroonians and
neighboring countries positively. This hidden truth was made public during the
maiden launch of a giant multibillion agro-industrial project by a non
governmental organization dubbed Frontier Agro-Industrial project (FAIPAN) with
a call for mass production in industrial scale. This lofty project was
conceived, nurtured and created by Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry, Secretary of State
in the Ministry of Mines, Industries and Technological Development.
An industrial zone has been carved out on the stretch of land
between Binshua and Nkambe that would be furnished and equipped by some 17
partners, setting up transformation factories. According to the founder of
FAINAP, Donga Mantung happens to have the potential to produce varied crops that
could be transformed add value and sell for huge amount. He instance Oil palm
production in the Division where the producer having his Oil only gets 5% in
spite the labour whereas other byproducts transformed would fetch more money
for the producer. To him farming maize in large quantity, transforming it in to
pulp before selling to brewery companies would generate more income than just
selling away the maize without adding value.
Donga Mantung Division as at now is one of the highest cattle
production areas in Cameroon and also produces Oil palms, Corn, groundnuts, and
fruits like mango, pawpaw, pears in small scale. FAINAP is coming in to
encourage the local people to get in to clusters in at least three hectares and
cultivate any identified crop with a ready market at the industrial site for
further transformation. Improved seedlings shall be made available to farmers
at affordable prizes and FAINAP shall make available the necessary financial
resources through the councils for the startups. Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry was
blunt that FAINAP is not coming to get land from the people rather the people
shall farm their land and sell to the ready industries. Pundit fear this new
paradigm shift in the agricultural activities in the area dubbed Donga Mantung
Industrial Revolution shall trigger land disputes among local when the rich
might want to get all the lands by force from the poor. The traditional rulers,
the five mayors and the curious population that turnout in their numbers were told
to appropriate the project as stakeholders. Most of the land especially in
Misaje area is a reserved for cattle rearing and now large scale farming in the
crop domain shall affect cattle rearing. Before the launching, a team of
management committee had already been set up amongst others with Adamu Musa as
Secretary General, Ruth Ali Enow, Coordinator and Wepsi Samuel as Chief of
communication. The founder of this project Dr. Fuh Calistus was handed a Life
Time achievement award by the Fon of Nkambe Fon Jabfu Ibrahim from The Eye
Media group for his development exploits and achievement in varied domains.
By Ignatius Nji
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