Despite a reduced allocation, the agency pledges continued support for farmers and rural infrastructure.
The budget was approved on Wednesday 10 December 2025 during the 53rd ordinary session of the SOWEDA Board of Directors held in Buea. It represents a 14.5 per cent decrease compared to the 2025 budget, a reduction the Board acknowledged while outlining strategies to maintain impact.
Board Chairman, Herbert Apande Ediage, speaking alongside SOWEDA’s General Manager, Dr Besong Ngork Ntui, said the authority would prioritise interventions that directly benefit rural communities. He explained that emphasis would be placed on supporting farmers in crop production and strengthening rural infrastructure, particularly farm to market roads.
According to the Board, the 2026 budget will focus on practical support aimed at improving productivity and easing access for rural producers, despite the financial constraints posed by the reduced allocation.
SOWEDA officials said the agency remains focused on its core mandate of improving livelihoods in rural areas through agriculture led development. They expressed confidence that targeted spending and closer engagement with farming communities would help sustain progress across the South West Region.
The adoption of the 2026 budget sets the operational framework for SOWEDA’s activities in a year expected to test public institutions to deliver results with leaner resources, while keeping rural development at the centre of regional priorities.
By Hilltopvoices Online Team
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