At 6th steering committee meeting: Agriculture minister urges RVCDP interns to be professionals.

Minister Mbairobe who doubles as President of the Board of Directors of the RVCDP made the declaration during the 6th steering committee meeting on December 30, 2025. 

The session chaired by the minister held in Bamenda. In attendance was the Governor of the North West Region, Adolphe Lele Lafrique; the National Coordinator of the RVCDP, Muluh Gregory, the Field Coordinator of the Islamic Development Bank, Mohamadou Awal, and others.

Sponsored within the framework of the partnership between the government and the Islamic Development Bank, the close to two-year professional internship program included fields like communication, agriculture, monitoring and evaluation, contracts, and others. 

Interns urged to be professionals 

While handing over attestations to the interns, Minister Mbairobe urged them to be professionals in their respective departments. 

He stressed on the importance of internship as a means to prepare the young people for future employment opportunities. 

“The knowledge and skills you have gained here should not be taken lightly. You should count yourself privileged to have been selected for this opportunity. The ball now lies in the court of the interns. You have spent almost two years with RVCDP, I hereby beseech you to ask yourself numerous questions on the skills you have acquired,” minister said.

He challenged to share the knowledge acquired with others as they step into the job market. 

“Become mentors to those who will follow in your footsteps,” he said, while urging them to foster a community of knowledgeable persons and professionals who will uplift the agricultural sector.

On his part, the Field Coordinator of the Islamic Development Bank in Cameroon, Mohamadou Awal, also called on the interns to be examples of the future. 

The National Coordinator of the RVCDP, Muluh Gregory, urged the interns to fly the image of the institution high, as they face the job market.

RVCDP adopts 2026 budget 

During the meeting, the Board members of the RVCDP adopted the 2026 budget, amounting to over 24 billion FCFA. 

The budget, which will help revitalize the rice sector by providing assistance to farmers in various communities where the RVCDP is intervening. 

Minister Mbairobe described the project as a key pillar of government policy under the leadership of President Paul Biya, aimed at increasing rural income, reducing poverty, and supporting post-conflict reconstruction efforts in the North West region. 

“This project is in line with the Head of State’s vision to improve livelihoods in rural communities, create income opportunities, and fight poverty. It works in line with reconstruction efforts through the rehabilitation of schools, health centres, and water infrastructure,” Minister said.

According to the authorities, the over 24 billion FCFA budget will finance the opening of farm-to-market roads, procurement of agricultural inputs, infrastructure rehabilitation, and purchase of modern production equipment in all the regions where the RVCDP is operating.

Handing of equipment to NOWERICA

The event ended with the handing over of land development equipment to the North West Rice Cooperatives Association, NOWERICA. 

The equipment includes a front-end loader, four Toyota pickup vehicles, six motorbikes, two lorries, a grader, a compactor, an excavator, and a dump truck. 

The materials were officially handed over to the President of the Board of Directors of NOWERICA, Nzerem Methodious, by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gabriel Mbairobe.

“We have a significant production gap to close. The machines donated to NOWERICA will not only support land development but also enable technical teams to carry out effective field operations. We’re proud to hand over this equipment to the North West region,” minister added.

Mbairobe challenged the management of NOWERICA to use the equipment appropriately and to work hand-in-hand with the Upper Nun-Valley Development Association, UNVDA, to make sure that they assist the government in her vision of ending rice importation in the near future.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3664 of Monday January 05, 2026