The Government of Cameroon, with support from the Joint SDG Fund, the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, and in partnership with the United Nations system, officially launched the CONVERGEFOOD Joint Programme to accelerate food systems transformation. The initiative aims to strengthen agricultural value chains, expand access to finance, and connect smallholder farmers and agri-enterprises to inclusive markets, especially in underserved areas. Launched alongside the EU-funded Scalable Success Model project, the programme represents a significant step in translating national commitments into actionable, investment-ready interventions for sustainable and resilient food systems.
Led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER) and coordinated by the Food Systems National Convenor, CONVERGEFOOD is implemented by multiple UN agencies including WFP, FAO, UNEP, UNIDO, and UNCDF. The programme is designed as a whole-of-UN approach, avoiding siloed interventions and ensuring coordinated support across sectors. Additional UN agencies are expected to join phase II in 2027, enhancing the initiative’s scope and systemic impact.
Cameroon faces significant food security challenges, with 3.3 million people experiencing acute food insecurity, particularly in the Far North, North, and East regions. In the hardest-hit areas, up to 64 percent of households are severely food insecure, often depleting food stocks within a month. Climate shocks, economic constraints, and limited access to finance and markets exacerbate these pressures. CONVERGEFOOD addresses these challenges by aligning investments, strengthening value chains, and supporting smallholder producers, women, and youth to improve resilience, income, and food security.
Anchored in Cameroon’s Food Systems Transformation Roadmap and Convergence Action Blueprint, the programme focuses on rice, cassava, eggs, and dairy, promoting climate-smart and agroecological production, strengthening governance systems, and enhancing food processing and safety infrastructure. A key feature is the mobilization and de-risking of private sector investment through a Blended Finance Mechanism, including a Guarantee Fund and Disbursement Fund, to expand financial flows to cooperatives and SMEs. This mechanism, led by UNCDF in phase II, is supported by a loan from the Islamic Development Bank under the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security.
The programme has received international recognition, with UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed describing it as “UN reform in action, delivering as one and aligning mandates… more than coordination: it is a catalyst for action.” It exemplifies how country-led platforms can translate national strategies into large-scale, investable programmes, leveraging blended finance, strategic partnerships, and coordinated UN support. The European Union, through the Scalable Success Model, complements this effort by strengthening institutions, unlocking investments, and supporting rural communities.
The launch brought together government representatives, development partners, financial institutions, cooperatives, and private sector actors, reinforcing commitment to coordinated action. By linking national priorities with inclusive investment strategies, CONVERGEFOOD is expected to catalyze private financing, enhance economic growth, improve food security, and increase climate resilience in Cameroon. The initiative demonstrates a multisectoral, integrated approach to transforming food systems while aligning with national climate, nutrition, and biodiversity objectives.
The programme is supported by the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, FAO, IFAD, WHO, WFP, UNDP, and UNDCO, as well as global development partners including the EU and the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security. Through this collaboration, Cameroon is establishing a scalable, investment-ready model for sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient food systems that can inform regional and global efforts toward SDG2 and broader food security objectives.
