ANTIC is currently facilitating discussions between 14 Agritech Startups and 100 farmers drawn from across the South-West Region, with a view to promoting the integration of digital innovations into farming practices to enhance productivity and boost agricultural yields.
The discussions are taking place within the framework of the Forum on Digital Agriculture, organised by ANTIC, which commenced in Limbe on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, under the theme: “Harnessing Digital Technologies for Sustainable Agricultural Transformation and Food Security in Cameroon.”
Speaking at the opening of the forum, ANTIC’s Director General, Professor Ebot Ebot Enaw, urged farmers to embrace digital technologies as a means of addressing some of the persistent challenges confronting agricultural production in the region. These challenges include post-harvest losses, limited access to markets, difficulties in detecting and managing pests, inadequate farm management practices, and the adverse effects of climate change.
He underscored the transformative potential of digital technologies to modernise agricultural practices and strengthen the resilience of farmers. He explained that solutions such as precision agriculture, smart livestock management, digital agricultural marketplaces, supply-chain digitisation, drone-enabled agricultural services and digital farm management systems can provide practical responses to some of the challenges affecting the sector.
According to him, the adoption of these technologies will enable farmers to make more informed decisions, optimise the use of agricultural inputs, improve farm management, detect and manage pests more effectively, reduce post-harvest losses, access markets more easily and ultimately increase their incomes. In particular, digital marketplaces and supply-chain solutions being showcased at the forum can help address limited market access by connecting farmers more efficiently with buyers, while technologies for improved storage, transportation and farm monitoring can help minimise losses between production and consumption. Similarly, climate-smart and precision farming technologies can support farmers in adapting to changing climatic conditions and improving the efficient use of scarce resources.
Beyond improving individual farm productivity, the integration of digital technologies across agricultural value chains is expected to contribute significantly to strengthening food security and advancing Cameroon’s broader digital transformation agenda.
The forum therefore provides a platform for farmers, Agritech startups and other stakeholders in the agricultural ecosystem to exchange knowledge, showcase innovative solutions and explore practical opportunities for collaboration. By bringing technology developers and end-users together, the initiative seeks to identify practical digital solutions to specific challenges faced by farmers in the South West Region and facilitate their adoption at the grassroots level.
The focus on digital innovation is particularly relevant given the importance of agriculture to Cameroon’s economy and livelihoods. According to the Geo Factbook, the sector employs a substantial share of the labour force, contributes approximately 16 to 18 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and provides livelihoods for millions of Cameroonians, particularly in rural communities.
Despite its enormous potential, Cameroon’s agricultural sector continues to face persistent challenges, including climate change, conflicts affecting production areas, inadequate infrastructure, limited access to finance and markets, and substantial post-harvest losses. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that up to 40 per cent of certain agricultural products in Cameroon, particularly fruits, vegetables and tubers, are lost before reaching consumers because of inadequate handling, storage and transportation. These losses significantly reduce farmers’ incomes and the availability of food for consumers. At the same time, more than 2.8 million people in the country are estimated to be experiencing severe food insecurity.
It is against this backdrop that ANTIC is promoting stronger collaboration between farmers and Agritech startups, with the objective of leveraging digital technologies to provide practical and scalable solutions to the challenges affecting agricultural production.
