In Cameroon, a World Bank-supported project was using digital services to bring farmers closer to markets, information and modern inputs. A World Bank feature published on 25 June 2026 reported that, through the e-voucher system of the Acceleration of the Digital Transformation of Cameroon Project (PATNUC), 35,000 smallholders were obtaining improved inputs such as seed and fertilizer. According to the World Bank, agriculture employs nearly 60 percent of Cameroon's population, yet farmers have long had limited access to markets, information and modern tools.
What the project is and who runs it
The World Bank's projects database lists PATNUC as approved by the Bank's board on 28 September 2021, with a commitment of 100 million US dollars and the Republic of Cameroon as borrower. Its stated objectives are to increase digital inclusion and the use of digital agricultural solutions by selected actors in agricultural value chains. Three ministries implement it: Posts and Telecommunications; Agriculture and Rural Development; and Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries.
Farming is a large part of Cameroon's economy. In 2018 the country produced about 5 million tons of cassava, 3.9 million tonnes of plantain and 307 thousand tons of cocoa, ranking third in the world for plantain and fifth for cocoa.
E-vouchers and soil data on the farm
The World Bank said the project invests in connectivity, digital literacy and data systems to help farmers overcome the structural barriers that have long held back their productivity and access to markets. Alongside the e-vouchers, digital tools give farmers real-time information on soil health and field conditions. The Bank projected yield increases of up to 100 percent for key crops.
To keep cost from blocking adoption, PATNUC provides 4.4 million US dollars in matching grants, covering up to two-thirds of the cost for farmer groups to take up digital solutions.
Startups paired with farmer groups
At the centre of the programme was the Agritech Innovation Challenge, a national platform that identifies and supports startups developing digital solutions for agriculture, from market access and productivity to climate resilience. Selected startups receive acceleration programmes, mentorship and access to technical and financial support.
The key design choice is the pairing: each startup is matched with farmer groups, so that its innovation is tested in real conditions and adapted to local realities. The World Bank said that by supporting startups, incubators and innovation ecosystems, the initiative was also creating jobs for young people.
Online marketing brings buyers to farmers
"We assist farmers with marketing. They don't only register their products on our website; we also help promote them so they can reach more buyers," Pamela Ncho, head of Efarm.cm, one of the companies on the platform, told the World Bank. By bridging the gap between farmers and buyers, the Bank said, digital platforms were expanding market opportunities and reducing post-harvest losses.
In poultry, Feteh Clarence of Eliboy Fortune Farms described the change: "E-marketing has really impacted our business. We've been able to sell across our entire production zone." He said the farm used to produce 5,000 chicks a week but found them very hard to sell; it now sells at least 15,000 chicks every week and produces up to 20,000.
Photo: Adesolive / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Sources: World Bank (25 June 2026), World Bank Projects database (project P173240), Wikipedia (Agriculture in Cameroon)
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