Cameroon : SOUTH WEST DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (SOWEDA) (SOWING THE SEEDS OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE SOUTH WEST REGION)

SOUTH WEST DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (SOWEDA)
(SOWING THE SEEDS OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE SOUTH WEST REGION)

The organization was created by presidential decree No 87/1874 of December 17, 1987. It is the prominent seed sower of rural development of all the six divisions of the South West Region.

Its main mission was to raise the standards of living of the rural masses through the development of agricultural output, improvement of rural infrastructure, provision of soft loans, capacity building of rural administrative units, provision of service as the centre for information and studies on matters related to development of the rural communities.

SOWEDA has however successfully implemented and supervised three developmental projects (The south west integrated rural development project, livestock and fisheries development project with a project implementation unit and the Rumpi Area Participatory Development Project with a project implementation unit. The projects were funded by the African Development Bank (ADB), the Arab Bank for Economic Development of Africa (BADEA), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the state of Cameroon.between 1994 and 2002.

Because of theses projects the following have been achieved among the rural masses: The income level of the farmers has risen, the nutritional and health standards have been raised, rural exodus of youths into urban areas has reduced, transportation of rural products to urban areas has increased, thus leading to the effective contribution of the rural population to the nation’s balance of payment.

It has also contributed significantly in assuring food security in the region, reduced the poverty level and improved the livelihood of the masses.
The organization has provided basic necessities to communities, supplied cocoa ovens, farm inputs and tackled social facilities, graded rural roads and improved planting materials in the region.