The 7th edition of the Yaounde International Agribusiness Exhibition (SIALY 2021) underway at the National Museum is bringing together food and agricultural experts, institutions and enterprises from across the world to showcase their talents, exchange ideas and reinforce their production and transformation capacities.
Amongst the hundreds of exhibitors at the event is the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), which is the main technical partner to the fair.
The one week international exhibition was officially opened Wednesday, July 7, 2021 by the Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Gabriel Dodo Ndoke, in the presence of the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Abena Ondoa Née Obama Marie Therese.
Speaking at the opening, Minister Dodo Ndoke, revealed that Agro-Industries play a vital role in the industrial sector of Cameroon, and accounts for about 44% of Cameroon’s manufacturing industries.
On her part, the promoter of the exhibition, Madam Motto Atsama Bibiane, disclosed that the objective of the one week event is to sensitize the powers that be on agricultural innovations in the country, encourage other actors to embrace the sector and motivate political will in providing support to boost it’s potentials.
For these to be achieved, some solutions need to be employed according to the promoter of the event.
She said there is need to beef up public aid to development partners for direct investment in the agricultural sector, that there is need for assistance from financial companies to farmers to be institutionalized and that land reforms should be made to facilitate access taking into consideration the lifestyle of the local communities.
Inside the Exhibition
Among the many exhibition stands at SIALY 2021 is that of the International Institute of Tropical Agricuture (IITA).
The institute did not only provide technical assistance to the organisation, but came with some special products made in Cameroon to present to the public, like wines made essentially from natural and local products.
A Cameroon made wine known as “Le Bon Augustin Wine“, produced by “Mac Food SARL” in Douala was presented as therapeutic and void of additive.
It’s promoter, Minkoumou Augustin Caleb, is a product of IITA Enable Youth.
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Africa’s leading partner
in research for development, is a non-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing challenges of hunger,
malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation.
Working with various partners across
sub-Saharan Africa, they improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resource integrity.
They offer leading research partnership that facilitates agricultural solutions to hunger, poverty, and natural resource degradation throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
IITA is an award-winning, research-for-development (R4D) organization, providing solutions to hunger, poverty, and the degradation of natural resources in Africa. Since 1967, IITA has worked with international and national partners to improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resource integrity.
