The European Union (EU) has allocated FCFA 9.84 billion (15 million euros) to finance the Support Program for the Development of Value Chains (PADCV) in Cameroon. The official launch of this program took place on March 19, 2026, in Yaoundé, during the first session of the steering committee, in the presence of Sébastien Dibling, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation.
This funding is part of a broader collaboration between Cameroon and the EU, focused on promoting private sector development. The PADCV aims to stimulate inclusive economic development, create decent jobs, and promote green initiatives through private sector development.
The program is structured into three main components. The first is strengthening private sector financing through a blending mechanism, with an allocation of 9 million euros (approximately FCFA 6 billion). The second component is dedicated to the economic empowerment of women and youth, as well as the sustainable exploitation of the economic potential of selected value chains, including digital. The third component aims to improve the investment climate and business environment, taking into account territorial realities and women's entrepreneurship.
The PADCV will target five regions of Cameroon: the North, Far North, South-West, East, and South. Eleven priority value chains have been identified, including cotton, cashew nuts, millet, sorghum, maize, rice, digital, wood, cocoa, and cassava. The EU will particularly prioritize cassava, cocoa, rice, maize, and wood.
The overall funding is divided into four distinct projects. A financing facility will be dedicated to the development of value chains (9 million euros), another will facilitate innovative financing for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) with a loan of 1 million euros (FCFA 656 million). Technical assistance of 3.5 million euros (FCFA 2.29 billion) will support the maturation of investment opportunities, and a grant of 1 million euros (FCFA 656 million) will be allocated to digital entrepreneurship and local development for women and youth.
Ultimately, the financing facility for the development of value chains could mobilize up to FCFA 59 billion in private sector financing through a multiplier effect. The program also aims to increase the turnover of targeted value chains by at least 10%, create at least 200 jobs in supported digital companies, and economically empower at least 100 women.
According to Sébastien Dibling, the value chain approach will structure complete economic ecosystems, from production to marketing, while addressing Cameroon's challenges related to job creation, economic transformation, youth inclusion, and the green transition. The success of this program will depend on the quality of the projects implemented, requiring a portfolio of solid and structured projects capable of mobilizing program resources and European financial instruments. This partnership aligns with Cameroon's National Development Strategy (SND30) and the European Union's Global Gateway strategy.
