The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved €87 million in financing for Cameroon's cocoa and coffee sectors as part of a €215.9 million programme. Of the GCF money, €78.3 million is a concessional loan and €8.7 million is a grant, which means about 90% must be repaid, according to figures reported by Business in Cameroon and local outlets.
Key takeaways
- GCF contribution: €87 million (€78.3 million loan, €8.7 million grant). Total programme: €215.9 million.
- The aim is deforestation-free, climate-resilient cocoa and coffee farming.
- The project will train cooperatives, municipalities and 2,000 agricultural advisors.
- EcoMatin links the wider effort to a goal of doubling output to 600,000 tonnes, with about CFA141 billion mobilised.
Why the money is tied to deforestation
The GCF project summary is blunt about the problem: cocoa and coffee farming in Cameroon is a major driver of forest loss in the Congo Basin, and erratic rainfall, drought and pests threaten yields. Producers also risk losing access to European markets under the EU Deforestation Regulation, which requires proof that products do not come from newly cleared land.
Cameroon is the fifth-largest cocoa producer in the world, and about 700,000 growers depend on cocoa and coffee exports to Europe, supporting some 2.7 million households, according to the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI). Most are smallholders, for whom plot mapping is the hardest part of complying.
What the programme will do
The project will scale up the subsidy system of the Cocoa and Coffee Development Fund (FODECC) and train cooperatives, municipalities and 2,000 agricultural advisors. FODECC is funded by a levy of about €12 million a year on cocoa and coffee exports and has already enrolled 223,000 small producers.
Loans, not grants
The structure matters. A concessional loan is cheaper than commercial credit, but it still adds to Cameroon's debt. Farmers will not see most of this money as cash, so the benefit depends on how well subsidies and training reach them. Cameroon's marketed cocoa fell to a five-year low in the 2025-2026 season, and CBR's latest price report shows Douala exporters holding at CFA2,700 to 2,800 per kilo, so producers are looking for support now.
Frequently asked questions
How much did the Green Climate Fund approve for Cameroon?
€87 million, within a €215.9 million programme for cocoa and coffee.
Why does the EU deforestation rule matter?
Exporters must show that cocoa and coffee come from land cleared before the cut-off date. Producers who cannot prove it risk losing European buyers.
The measure of success will be how many smallholders are geolocated and certified, and whether output rises without new clearing. Both are slow, practical tasks that depend on cooperatives and local authorities more than on the size of the loan.
