Strengthening food security

Cadyst Group is a major player in the agri-food sector in Cameroon, with Célestin Tawamba as its founder and shareholder. After opening its first mill in 2003, Cadyst diversified its activities through vertical integration: it started producing pasta products with the acquisition of Panzani Cameroon in 2006 and, to use the by-products of this subsidiary, opened the SAE biscuit factory in 2014. The Group today employs 1,018 people and generates a turnover of around EUR 100m.

Proparco is supporting Cadyst Group’s launch of Cadyst Farming, its new poultry subsidiary. It will be dedicated to operating a poultry feed plant and a breeding and hatcheries site. Cadyst is thus pursuing its diversification strategy by moving into a market driven by growing demand, along with a strong political will to develop and support national production.

The project is part of Proparco mandate to support agri-business value chains on the African continent with obvious benefits for food security in the most vulnerable countries.

The expected impacts of the project are as follows: 

• Access for more than 1.5 million Cameroonians to chicken meat, an affordable and locally produced source of protein, in a context of inflation and increased food insecurity  
• 70 direct jobs created and 520 indirect jobs maintained

The project will contribute to SDG 2 (“Zero hunger”) and SDG 8 (“Decent work and economic growth”).