A plantain can feed a family. For Ndumbe Gerald, it can also help build a business, support farmers, and create jobs.
In Cameroon’s East Region, Gerald grows plantains and buys from smallholder farmers. He sells fresh plantains to buyers and turns part of the harvest into
packaged chips, his main activity. By combining his own harvest with purchases from other farmers, he maintains a steady supply for both markets. He also trains farmers and provides quality planting materials, helping them improve production while offering them a reliable market for their harvests.
His work won first prize in the Agri-Industry and Agri-Tech category at the Regional Youth Innovation Challenge. With funding received from Global Health Systems Solutions (GHSS), supported by the Mastercard Foundation, he acquired equipment to process and package his chips.
Today, his business manages over 10 hectares of plantain farms, employs more than 30 young people, and supplies packaged chips to customers and supermarkets in Bertoua, Yaoundé, Douala, and Buea. From fresh plantains to packaged chips, Gerald is building a business that connects local farms to wider markets. His next goal: taking his products beyond Cameroon.
#YouthEmployment #Agribusiness #MadeInCameroon #MastercardFoundation #GHSS
