Science at the heart of Gabon’s food sovereignty drive

Libreville, Monday, June 8, 2026 – The gamble may seem bold. Yet it now lies at the core of Gabon’s economic strategy.

As the country seeks to drastically cut its reliance on food imports and halt the massive influx of foreign broiler chickens by 2027, the decisive struggle unfolds far from markets and ports. It takes place in the experimental fields of the National Centre for Scientific and Technological Research (CENAREST) at Kougouleu.

The visit by the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and government spokesperson, Charles Edgar Mombo, to this strategic site signifies much more than a routine administrative inspection. It reveals a fresh direction where scientific research becomes a direct instrument of economic transformation and a lever for national sovereignty.

In a nation where food imports still absorb a large share of foreign expenditure, the capability to locally produce the raw materials needed for livestock farming is now seen as strategically vital as mining or energy exploitation.

Research at the heart of the national project

The authorities have set a clear objective: build a poultry industry capable of meeting domestic demand while gradually reducing imports.

To achieve this ambition, animal feed is central. Maize and soybean constitute the main components of feed used in industrial poultry farming. As long as these raw materials remain largely imported, the sector’s autonomy remains fragile.

At Kougouleu, CENAREST researchers are precisely working on this equation. Eleven maize varieties are currently the subject of experimental programs aimed at identifying the seeds best suited to Gabon’s soil and climate conditions.

The challenge goes far beyond mere agricultural performance. The goal is to select varieties capable of delivering enough yields to sustainably feed a growing national poultry industry.

The scientific teams have also started trials on eleven soybean varieties introduced under international cooperation with research centres in Malawi. Additional experiments are being conducted in Nyanga province, particularly in Tchibanga, to assess performance across different ecosystems.

This approach reflects a significant shift. Long seen as a sector far removed from immediate economic concerns, research is now becoming an operational player in development.

The ambition of an integrated value chain

The government’s strategy rests on a simple logic: produce locally the essential inputs for livestock farming to reduce production costs and strengthen the competitiveness of Gabonese producers.

This vision aligns with a trend seen across several African countries grappling with soaring food import bills. According to international institutions, import dependence remains one of the main factors of economic vulnerability on the continent.

Yet Gabon has considerable assets: fertile land, abundant water resources, and favourable climatic conditions for many crops.

For Charles Edgar Mombo, the results observed in the field already demonstrate the country’s potential. The minister praised the researchers’ commitment and emphasised the capacity of the national higher education system to concretely support the major directions set by President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema.

Beyond the agricultural aspect, the message is political. Science is no longer called upon solely to produce knowledge. It must now contribute directly to national priorities.

Sovereignty still to be built

The advances recorded are encouraging. They must not, however, mask the challenges that remain.

Researchers themselves stress the need to expand experimental areas to improve trial quality and increase production volumes. The transition from scientific experimentation to industrial production is often the trickiest step.

The financial challenge also remains significant. Agricultural modernisation requires massive investments, suitable infrastructure, accessible financing mechanisms for producers, and better organisation of value chains.

But for the first time in a long while, Gabon appears to be engaging in a coherent reflection linking research, agriculture, industry, and economic sovereignty.

The ministerial visit to Kougouleu thus symbolises a paradigm shift. In the new vision promoted by the authorities, food independence will not result solely from investments or administrative decisions. It will also come from laboratories, research centres, and scientific innovation.

By 2027, if the targets are met, Gabon could demonstrate that in Africa, food sovereignty is built as much with researchers as with farmers. A quiet but potentially decisive transformation for the country’s economic future.