Visionary Reports

The 2026 edition of the Ngand Biton International Palm Nuts Festival may have drawn to a close, but its impact lingers largely thanks to a mind-blowing presentation by Jean-Pierre Batta, an official representing the agro-industrial giant, Socapalm. Batta’s session highlighted the company’s tremendous contributions to Cameroon’s economy and its dedication to empowering the next generation of local farmers.The heart of Socapalm’s presentation was a specialized training workshop designed for private producers and local maritime communities. The goal was simple yet profound: equip planters with the technical knowledge required to build highly productive, sustainable agricultural projects.In addition,addressing the audience, Jean-Pierre Batta explained the scope of the initiative: “The training workshop we set up today in the framework of the Ngand Biton Festival consists of raising awareness and training planters on the exact technical itinerary for establishing a palm grove. We walked them through the entire operational cycle from seed selection and planting to ongoing exploitation and harvesting. Crucially, we integrated sustainable management practices into every step of this activity.”Batta expressed immense satisfaction with the turnout and the engagement of the participants, noting that many farmers left the session far better equipped than they arrived.”Many of these producers will be receiving high-yield, certified seeds to plant. Socapalm will always be there to support them. This festival sits at the absolute heart of our corporate strategy: providing direct support to private producers to help the national community increase local palm oil production and reduce our dependence on imports.”The session was not just a lecture; it was an open dialogue. Participants had the opportunity to voice real challenges, including procurement delays.Ngoe epse Marie Cécile, the Second Deputy Mayor of Eseka and an active participant in the workshop, praised the festival’s evolution but raised a critical concern regarding the wait times for Socapalm’s seeds. “The festival has evolved beautifully since it started in Eseka a few years ago. It is opening the eyes of our youth, showing them that you don’t need a desk job to earn a great living you can thrive by working the land,” the Deputy Mayor noted. “However, what concerns me is the ordering process. Sometimes we are told we have to wait up to six months for seedlings. Mr. Batta clarified today that the wait time is roughly 110 days. While three and a half months is better than six, it is still a long time. If we miss the prime April planting window and receive seedlings in June, we need to ensure it won’t negatively impact the crop’s long-term viability.”Batta and the Socapalm team addressed these concerns directly, explaining the strict biological and technical timelines required to cultivate high-quality, disease-resistant seedlings, while promising to work on streamlining local distribution.Furthermore,as the third edition of the Ngand Biton festival becomes history, Socapalm returns to its operations with a renewed sense of purpose.

The enthusiasm of the local population and the visibility of smallholder successes prove that the agricultural sector in Cameroon is shifting.By bridging the gap between industrial expertise and small-scale farmers, Socapalm is ensuring that more youth join the agricultural train not just to secure their own livelihoods, but to guarantee a steady, sustainable supply of palm oil for both local and international markets.

By Henry Wana