RVCDP Steering Committee Meeting Adopts 2025 Budget in 4th Session

The curtains have been drawn on the 4^th Steering Committee Meeting of the Rice Value Chain Development Project with a firm resolve by members to make huge impact upon adoption of the 2025 budget for the project. Taking place at the Ayaba Hotel in Bamenda on Friday, 17^th January 2025, the 4^th Steering Committee was chaired by the its president, Mr. Gabriel MBAIROBE, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Opening the session, the Minister enjoined committee members to be diligent in the exercise of their duties, go through all working documents meticulously and table their concerns accordingly. He proceeded to cite the successes of the project since its inception, especially in the area of infrastructural development as the project has already identified the potential sites for the construction of some social infrastructure, while almost concluding the process of recruiting the design and supervision consultant for the construction of the Project Management Unit (PMU) building in Bamenda. 

The Committee in its 4^th session, adopted the Minutes of 3^rd Steering Committee meeting of RVCDP, examined and approved the state of realization of the resolutions of the 3^rd Steering Committee Meeting, adopted the Project Progress Report as at 31^st December 2024 as well as adopted the budget for 2025 to the tune of fifteen billion, four hundred and twelve million, two hundred and one thousand, two hundred francs CFA (15.412,201,200FCFA)

The committee furthermore took the following resolutions:

• That the Project Management Unit (PMU) building of the would be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2025;
• That the President shall convene an extra-ordinary Steering Committee meeting to approve the activities to be financed by the other donors who are yet to sign their financing agreements, when their loan agreements are declared effective;

• That the project signs a convention with the Ministry of the Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development (MINEDPED), as soon as the budget is effective;

• To ensure that Counterpart Funds are mobilised before the end of March 2025.

In his closing remarks, the president of the committee expressed his deepest gratitude to members for their active participation, insightful contributions, and unwavering commitment to vision and mission of the Rice Value Chain Development Project. Minister MBAIROBE further urged each member to take their responsibilities seriously and execute the resolutions as per their various areas of competence.The Minister, in this fourth session took the opportunity to install the pioneer Board of Directors, Supervisory Committee and Management team, to run the affairs of the North West Rice Cooperative Association, (NOWERICA).