OURVILLAGE
Project description
Title: OurVillage - Digital innovations for the promotion of endogenous economic development in Cameroon
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Cameroon
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Financy (MINFI)
Overall term: 2020 to 2023
Context
The economic situation of Cameroon’s rural population is mostly characterised by agriculture in small, scattered homesteads. Besides the cultivation of cash crops, subsistence farming plays a key role. During the rainy season, village populations sell agricultural products. In the dry season, when crop yields are low, cash flows out of the region but the demand for daily goods and services remains constant which leads to fluctuations in liquidity. The poorer groups are also at risk of becoming over-indebted because of limited sources of income. They get into debt up to five to twenty times a month just covering daily needs. Women are more affected, as they have fewer income spaces and many household responsibilities.
Objective
The economic situation for communities in rural Cameroon is improving thanks to the stimulation of local trade of goods and services.
Approach
The "OurVillage" project aims to stabilise and promote economic activities in rural communities using digital community vouchers as an innovative tool.
It is structured into three main outputs:
A blockchain-based system for transaction management is in place at the project locations.
A voucher system is actively used at the project locations.
The lessons learned from introducing the voucher system are being disseminated.
The project creates the technical basis for digital voucher systems and develops applications for the communities. To integrate the existing digital ecosystem, tech experts work with local and regional partners from the pilot regions and with actors from the international blockchain scene. Scientific research will be carried out to provide evidence-based information on the positive impact of such systems and to consolidate the alliance between Cameroonian and international institutions.
Last update: April 2022