Agriculture, Rural Infrastructure Sector : SOWEDA Evaluates 2024 Performance

The management of the South West Development Authority (SOWEDA), a State-run entity specialized in agricultural and rural infrastructure development in the region, have been encouraged to keep the momentum in mobilizing financial resources despite the challenges. The Board of Directors of SOWEDA converged on Buea on June 20, 2025, to examine the 2024 management report and assess the performance in terms of income and execution of expenditure. Chaired by Ediage Apande Herbert, the Board of Directors congratulated the General Manager and his team for mobilizing FCFA 5.1 billion out of FCFA 5.2 billion that was budgeted for 2024, representing a realization rate of 98 per cent. However, the execution rate of the income realised, as the Board chair revealed, is not commensurate to the income as execution rate stood at 70 per cent. The underperformance, the Board chairman justified, is attributed to persistent security concerns in some parts of the region, making it difficult for SOWEDA to deploy its activities to the fullest. Mr Ediage further indicated that most of the income came in at the end of the year. He however reassured that the remaining 30 per cent has been executed within 2025.
With dwindling State subvention, the Board of Directors recommended that management should strike deals for funding with both private and public entities in order to realise its objectives. SOWEDA, the Board Chai...