Announcement of 6.5 Million Dollars for Cameroon’s Technical Assistance and Rural Development on December 23, 1976

•world Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. • Telephone: (202) 393-6360 IDA NEWS RELEASE NO. 77/21 DECEMBER 23, 1976 $6.S MILLION FOR CAMEROON'S TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT Cameroon's capability in formulating and implementing well-planned and effective investment and development policies will be supported by two credits totaling $6.S million approved today by the International Development Associa- tion (IDA), an affi 1 iate of the World Bank: a $4.S mi 11 ion credit for techni- cal a~sistance and a $2 million credit for rural development. The first project will assist a three-year program of technical assist- ance aimed at strengthening and fmproving the operation of key Government services involved in investment and pol icy decisions and -planning. In addition, it will help finance studies aimed at developing a pipeline of projects for financing by the Government, the Bank and other donors. A • major emphasis will be placed on expanding local project processing capabil- ity, on providing for close association between foreign experts and local staff, and on arranging for training of local personnel. Project activities will mainly aim at the rural and transport sectors as well as urbanization and water supply. The Plaine des M'Bo rural development project will consist of three years of agronomic trials on the Plaine des M'Bo, to establish the fertilizer require- ments of rice and soybeans, the adaptation of soybean to the cropping system, and the prospects for.double cropping of rice. In addition, a mechanization/ settlement scheme wil 1 be initiated with settlers from the overpopulated nearby highlands, which will test the feasibility of establishing self-managing groups of 50 farm families on 100 hectares, i.e., to form a threshing unit. At the same time, a parallel settlement of 50 farm families using new types of equip- ment to be tested under the project, will permit comparisons between several mechanization/settlement s·chemes. The project wi 11 also fi'nance studi~s of the local market for soya, the socio-economic characteristics of recent and potential settlers of the plain and neighboring highlands, and health control measures. The project wil 1 be managed by Societe de Developpement de la Riziculture dans la Plaine des M 1 Bo (SODERIM) -- the entity which was created by the Government to implement the pilot operation. The three-year trial period will comprise six cropping seasons, which, with the previous four years of field trials, will pro- vide a sufficient data base for a full project which can begin in 1979. Both IDA credits to Cameroon will be for a term of 50 years, including 10 • years of grace. They wi 11 be interest free, except for a service charge of 3/4 of 1% to cover IDA's administrative costs. NOTE: Money figures are expressed in U.S. dollar equivalents. - 0 -  • FORM NO. 1121 (5-76) T E C H N I CA L DA T A PROJECT: The Plaine des M'Bo Rural Development COUNTRY: Cameroon TOTAL COST: $ 2 . 61 mi 11 i on ( i nc 1u d i ng $0 . 11 mi 11 i on of taxes ) IDA FINANCING: $2 million OTHER FINANCING: Caisse Centrale de Cooperation Economique (France) $0.5 mill ion; Government of Cameroon, $0.11 million (taxes) IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: Societe de Developpement de la Riziculture dans la Plaine des M'Bo (SODERIM) Ministry of Economic Affairs and Planning Yaounde, Cameroon Cable Address: MINEP, Yaounde Telex No.: 8268-KN PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project will consist of three years of agronomic trials on the Plaine des M'Bo, to establish the fertilizer requirements of rice and soybeans, the adaptation of soybean to the cropping system, and ~ the prospects for double cropping of rice. In addition, a mechanization/settlement scheme will be initiated with settlers from the overpopulated nearby highlands, which will test the feasibility of establishing self-managing groups of 50 farm families on 100 hectares, i.e., to form a threshing unit. At the same time, a parallel settlement of 50 farm fam- i 1 ies using new types of equipment to be tested under the project, will permit comparisons between several mechanization/settlement schemes. The project will also finance studies of the local market for soya, the socio-economic characteristics of recent and potential settlers of the plain and neighboring highlands, and health control measures. The project will be manar,ed by SODERIM (the successor to the Mission de Developpement, the entity which was crP.ated by the Government in 1973 to implement the pilot operation). The three- year trial period will comprise six cropping seasons, which, with the previous four years of field trials, will provide a sufficient data base for a full project which can begin in 1979. PROCUREMENT: Since the largest part of equipment ($0.4 mill ion) must be available from the beginning of the project,and the con- tracts for construction work ($0.3 mill ion) are not large enough to make international tendering appropriate, equipment ahd buildings contracts will be awarded on the basis of competitive bidding advertised locally in accordance with procedures acceptable to lDA. The services of expatriate management staff and consultants ($1 million) will be obtained according to 1DA 1 s normal procedures. CONSULTANTS: Total expatriate staff and consulting services will amount to 168 man-months at a total cost of Sl million and an average man-year cost of $70,000 (of which about $30,000 will be sal~ry). ~ ECONOMIC RATF. OF RETURN: 15% ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: December 31, 1979 - 0 -