The closure of the ICAO-NWCA Ltd project has turned out to be a major step towards gender equality and inclusion in Cameroon’s coffee industry. By empowering women and young people with the resources and knowledge to build sustainable businesses, the International Cooperative Agricultural Organisation (ICAO) and the North West Cooperative Association (NWCA) Ltd have ensured that coffee production and marketing in the North West Region become more inclusive than ever.
The project intentionally targeted beneficiaries from safe zones such as Donga Mantung, Fundong, and Bamenda, ensuring that those selected could effectively implement the initiative. In its pilot phase, five unions have benefited, with each recipient receiving a mobile coffee kiosk, cooking utensils, a gas cooker, NWCA Cola Coffee, and other essential accessories. These kiosks represent startup capital, allowing beneficiaries particularly women most of them and internally displaced persons (IDPs) and single mothers to establish independent coffee businesses and contribute to their communities.
Ndikwa Peter Bayo, the President of the Board of Directors of NWCA Ltd has used the project closure to express to all women taking coffee entrepreneurship. He has reaffirmed his institution's engagement accompanying such women and young people to ensure they succeed in sector hitherto considered for old men.
A key feature of the project is the revolving fund system, which ensures that as initial beneficiaries generate income and repay their funder, new women from other unions will receive the same support.
"We are creating a cycle of empowerment... The impact of this initiative will keep expanding, ensuring that more women and young entrepreneurs benefit over time." Waindim Timothy Ntam said disclosing that they are targeting not less than 100
The enthusiasm generated by the project has been remarkable. Even before the final distribution of equipment, young entrepreneurs had already begun reaching out to NWCA Ltd, eager to join the coffee trade.
"Many young people are now interested in coffee entrepreneurship, which shows that this project is planting the seeds for a much larger transformation," the General Manager noted.
Beyond its economic benefits, the project has played a critical role in supporting internally displaced persons especially women, many of whom have been forced to start over in Bamenda III due to the ongoing crisis. Some IDPs who initially found work in coffee sorting at NWCA Ltd have now moved into coffee farming, leading to new cultivation efforts in Bamungo, Boyo and other areas.
Under Waindim Timothy Ntam’s leadership, NWCA Ltd has positioned itself as Cameroon’s leading producer of Arabica coffee and a champion of women’s economic empowerment. His efforts to promote coffee consumption have helped integrate coffee culture into daily life in Bamenda, with more people frequenting the NWCA Ltd head office in Mile 3 Nkwen to enjoy its signature Kola Coffee.
Timothy’s commitment to gender and inclusion extends beyond this project. NWCA Ltd provides employment opportunities for Mbororo women, who play a crucial role in coffee sorting and processing. By actively integrating vulnerable groups into the value chain, NWCA Ltd is ensuring that the benefits of the coffee industry are widely shared.
The success of these initiatives has not gone unnoticed. NWCA Ltd recently ranked among the top three winners in the National Taste of Harvest Competition for Cameroon, a recognition of its hardworking team to quality and excellence. Organised by the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA) and the National Cocoa and Coffee Board (NCCB), this prestigious competition highlights NWCA Ltd’s growing influence in both national and international markets.
With the ICAO-NWCA Ltd project setting a precedent for inclusive coffee entrepreneurship, and NWCA Ltd continuing to empower women, youth, and displaced persons, the future of coffee in the North West Region has never been brighter. Under the current leadership of NWCA Ltd, the coffee industry is becoming not just a source of income, but a vehicle for economic transformation, gender equality, and long-term community development.