Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian and Cameroonian businesses are collaborating to develop a pilot cassava processing plant in Cameroon, with completion targeted within the next two to three years, according to Indonesian Ambassador to Cameroon Agung Cahaya Sumirat.
The initiative stems from a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Central African delegates and Indonesian counterparts at Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) 2025.
"Cassava is a dietary staple in Cameroon. Consequently, they sought a partnership with Indonesia for knowledge and technology transfer to build domestic processing capacity and produce tapioca," Sumirat here on Tuesday (October 13).
Under the agreement reached at TEI 2025, Indonesian engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firm PT Asindo Tech secured a US$15 million contract with Cameroonian enterprise Nego-Titans PLC to supply processing machinery and technical facilities.
The Indonesian company also sealed a separate US$3.2 million deal with Structural Lifeline Ltd to construct a 1.5-megawatt (MW) modular biogas power plant in Chad, a country that also falls under the Indonesian Embassy in Yaounde's jurisdiction.
The ambassador explained that the development of the cassava plant in Cameroon will utilize Indonesian materials, engineering expertise, and skilled labor.
The venture is designed to provide reciprocal benefits — opening commercial pathways for Indonesian firms in Central Africa while assisting Cameroonian farmers in scaling up output for broader export markets.
Following talks with Cameroon’s Minister of Economy, the Cameroonian government committed 4,000 hectares of land for the venture and pledged regulatory support, assuring open channels of communication should operational bottlenecks arise.
The Cameroonian government has extended strong backing for the initiative, with the economy minister urging Indonesian counterparts to openly communicate should any operational bottlenecks arise.
To finalize the project roadmap, Cameroonian business players recently conducted a working visit to Indonesia, reciprocating earlier exploratory site visits made by Indonesian teams to Cameroon.
"This serves as tangible proof of Indonesia’s growing credibility and positive profile across Central Africa," Sumirat noted.
According to Indonesian Ministry of Trade data from January to August 2026, Indonesia’s exports to Cameroon reached US$29.2 million, while imports from Cameroon stood at US$108.2 million.
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Translator: Uyu Septiyati Liman
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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