New Delhi [India], April 9 (HBTV): India on Wednesday dispatched a consignment of 1,000 metric tonnes of rice to Cameroon as part of its food grain assistance initiative.

Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, stated that the initiative reflects India’s enduring commitment to the Global South.

In a post on X, Jaiswal said, ‘India: A committed partner to the Global South. India sends food-grain assistance for the people of Cameroon. A consignment of 1000MT Rice departed today from Nhava Sheva Port to Cameroon.’

India and Cameroon share warm and friendly relations that date back to the pre-independence era of Cameroon. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), bilateral ties received a significant boost with the establishment of India’s resident mission in Yaounde in 2019.

Bilateral trade has shown consistent growth, rising from USD 523 million in 2018–19 to USD 1.1 billion during FY 2022–23. India has extended two Lines of Credit worth USD 79.65 million to Cameroon for rice, maize, and cassava plantation projects.

India has also supported Cameroon in capacity building by providing training to Cameroonian officials under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme and scholarships and fellowships under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).

Cameroon is currently facing a food security crisis due to multiple factors, primarily the reduced availability and accessibility of staple food products and livestock. According to the World Bank, nearly 250,000 Cameroonians are experiencing severe or elevated food insecurity.

Through the Emergency Project to Combat the Food Crisis in Cameroon (PULCCA), the government is implementing emergency and home-grown school feeding programmes, as well as support measures to prevent acute malnutrition targeting children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.

These programmes involve partnerships with public schools and health centres, where local agricultural cooperatives will supply fresh food for school meals and malnutrition prevention packages.

(ANI)