Water stress and cocoa : SODECAO opens strategic discussions with World Waternet

Faced with the growing challenges of water stress and climate change, SODECAO is considering a technical collaboration with World Waternet to secure its nurseries and strengthen the resilience of production basins.

The Cocoa Development Company (SODECAO) received, on Thursday, February 12, 2026, a distinguished guest in its conference room: Mrs. Janette Worm, Director of Partnerships for West Africa at World Waternet. This meeting is part of a dynamic of strategic openness with a view to a collaboration aimed at strengthening the water resilience of the cocoa sector in Cameroon.

Mrs. Worm was accompanied by two of her collaborators, while the SODECAO delegation was led by Mr. James ENANG ENANG, Deputy Director General, surrounded by his close collaborators.

A context marked by persistent water stress

At the heart of the discussions: the crucial issue of water. SODECAO, a major player in the production of quality seedlings and the technical structuring of the sector, is facing increasingly pressing water challenges.

The adverse effects of climate change are weighing heavily on nurseries and production in general. Rainfall cycles become unpredictable: heavy rains occur out of season, while critical periods of plant development experience marked water deficits. This variability leads to significant losses in the field, weakens young plants and compromises yields.

Initiatives have certainly been undertaken by SODECAO, in particular the installation of water supply and storage systems in certain outdoor units. However, these actions have not been implemented in all the areas of SODECAO's intervention due to a lack of insufficient financial resources.

Presentation of expertise and convergence of visions

After the customary courtesies, the two institutions presented their respective missions, their areas of intervention and their experiences in the field of sustainable water management (World Waternet) and cocoa farming development (SODECAO).

In its presentation, SODECAO drew up a straightforward inventory of the water constraints it faces, highlighting the direct impact of the scarcity or poor distribution of rainfall on the quality of plants, productivity and, ultimately, on the competitiveness of the Cameroonian cocoa sector.

For its part, World Waternet, an organization recognized for its expertise in integrated water resources management and institutional capacity building, has expressed interest in a technical partnership with SODECAO. Mrs. Janette Worm welcomed the clarity of the needs expressed and indicated that her organization would study possible avenues of collaboration before returning to SODECAO with concrete proposals.

Towards a strategic lever for the revival of the cocoa sector

The possibility of a partnership with a leading international player in the field of water could be a real catalyst for SODECAO's activities. Better control of water resources, through adapted and sustainable technical solutions, would help to secure nurseries, stabilize yields and strengthen the resilience of production basins to climatic hazards.

Beyond the institutional issues, it is the entire cocoa value chain that could benefit from such cooperation. By consolidating the production of quality seedlings by supporting producers in the face of the effects of climate change, SODECAO confirms its desire to remain a central pillar in the development of efficient, sustainable and resilient cocoa farming in Cameroon.

The meeting of February 12, 2026 thus appears to be a promising first step towards a structuring partnership, likely to breathe new life into the water supply in nurseries and, therefore, to sustainably strengthen the cocoa sector in Cameroon.

By NJK