Cereals and livestock
Maize
Maize is an essential cereal in the Cameroonian diet, the most widely consumed of the cereals grown in the country (ahead of sorghum and millet) and the most widely consumed after rice.
Compagnie Fermière Camerounaise (CFC) was launched in 2021, in a socio-economic context that is conducive to the development of a maize sector, and aims at improving the income of its member producers, while offering the market products that comply with health and regulatory requirements.
CFC supports its partner producers in their efforts to become more professional, with the ultimate aim of mechanizing production as much as possible and consolidating their agricultural performance.
In the Congo Republic, Société Les Grands Moulins du Phare (SGMP) is also a key player in the maize sector, processing 100 tons of grain a day, equivalent to 30,000
tons of cereals a year.
At its maize mill, SGMP produces grits and flour for local markets (food industries and households). Committed to working alongside Congolese maize producers, SGMP has set itself the goal of promoting the development of local maize growing and aims to source 100% of its raw materials locally.
In addition to maize, Somdia plans to develop the production and processing of local cereals such as rice, soya, sorghum and barley to meet the needs of local manufacturers and households.
Animal nutrition
and breeding
The animal feed business is a key area of strategic diversification for the Group, because it adds value to most of by-products from its agri-food industries (maize bran, soya cake, brewers’ grains, etc.).
In Cameroon, CFC plays a key role in producing and marketing animal feed. This local production benefits both livestock farmers and local feed manufacturers, by offering them feed – complete and concentrated – made mainly from high-quality local raw materials.
More than 20% of the country’s laying hens are fed by CFC, which is also developing its broiler feed business (for meat production).
CFC plans to create a new range of feed for ruminants, identifying opportunities in cross-border markets to promote this offering.
In Gabon, SMAG has been producing day-old chicks for its laying hen farm and its customer base of breeders since 2011.
Production capacity stands at around 350,000 chicks, offering Gabonese breeders the opportunity to set up poultry farms using the company’s products. The aim is to establish a central hub for livestock farming in Gabon, by professionalizing the sector in order to improve its performance.
SMAG’s growth prospectives are promising, driven by a number of areas of development: the creation of an egg-packing centre and an increase in the capacity of hatcheries and breeding facilities bear witness to its ongoing efforts to support the development of the egg-laying sector.
To support its growth, SMAG is also exploring a local market for broiler chickens.
In the Congo, SGMP produces 1,100 tons of poultry feed every month.
SGMP’s dynamism is underpinned by strong strategic choices: an investment project in a breeding stock farm and support for the growth of the UAB (animal feed unit) business.
