With little investment, some 30,000 households living on agriculture are emerging from a humble state to put some money aside, improve their daily life, prepare for the future and enrol their children in school.
These little life miracles have been made possible, thanks to the AfDB's presence in Burkina Faso's South-West region, a relatively well-watered fertile agricultural region, considered as one of its breadbaskets.
In the words of Dominique Dyemkouma, Coordinator of the Local Development Support Project in Comoé, Laraba and Kénédougou Provinces (PADL/CLK), "through training, cropping methods, adequate marketing channels and trust in our farmers, agriculture can really take off in Africa."
A little nudge but enough to enable farmers move from rain-fed agriculture only to three crops yearly under irrigation. Benefits: significant increase in quantities produced and increased self-sufficiency.
These projects bank on improved agricultural productivity to increase production, foster the marketing of any surplus, develop farmers' technical and marketing skills, and promote literacy. They comprise an agricultural area of more than 100,000 hectares, with a wide range of such crops as red sorghum, maize, millet, rice, cassava, groundnut, mango, banana, oil palm, cashew, lemon and orange.
As Dominique Dyekouma points out, these projects are chosen and managed by the communities themselves, grouped under nearly 500 village committees or farmers' cooperatives. To benefit from the projects, these cooperatives had to invest their own resources, generally covering about 10 to 20% of the total cost of the initiative retained. This engenders their involvement and accountability, enabling the communities to own the projects - one of the keys to development.
In search of food security: an approach that respects the environment and develops productivity instead of increasing the farmed area. The project requires use of organic manure as fertilizer, not only because of the cost, but also for soil sustainability. The drive to thoroughly use current farmlands before clearing new areas is also underway. Even fences to prevent livestock passage draw heavily from ecology: thorny plants are instead used, which work quite naturally.
Here is a brief insight into these brave initiatives that enable Burkina Faso citizens to progress by leaps and bounds in the fight against poverty.
Local Development Support Project in Comoé, Laraba and Kénédougou Provinces (PADL/CLK)
Financing: CFAF 16.8 billion (July 2002)
ADB contribution: 82%
Burkina Faso Government contribution: 14.5%
Contribution of beneficiary communities: 3.5 %
Surviving the Crisis
Early 2008: Oil and food prices soar worldwide. In Africa, the impact of the food crisis is visible and Burkina Faso is no exception. The price of a 50 kg bag of rice jumps in no time from CFAF 12,500 to CFAF 19,000 and as a result most households must either stop eating rice completely or considerably reduce their daily consumption. This is leading to a general dissatisfaction. Something must be done and rapidly, too. Emergency measures must be taken. On its own, the country's government will be unable to face the challenge. With support from development partners, including the AfDB, the country could overcome this unfortunate situation.
Conscious of its role, the AfDB reacted promptly, providing budget support, reallocating resources of ongoing agricultural sector projects and overall, UA 8.5 million was disbursed between August and September 2008. Improved farm productivity under current projects, including PADL/CLK, figures among the concrete measures taken to counteract the rising cost of foodstuff.
For instance, in June 2008 in Koutoura, a community of 1,000 farmers received several bags of seeds and fertilizer enough to cover 243 ha, just in time for the planting season. The operation lasted one week. The sight of the quality and beauty of the fields so cultivated testify to the very positive impact generated.
"The situation was quite difficult some time ago", comments farmer Edouard Soulama. "We lacked seeds and fertilizer, and the harvests could not feed everyone. Thanks to this unexpected support, we will confront and overcome the situation. A very big thanks for this support."
A Smallholder Becomes an Entrepreneur
Thirty-three-year-old Tiakoumbié Sirima of Nafona, a smallholder, is starting his working life like most members of his family. He is poor and lacks the resources to maintain the lush and fertile banana plantations all-year round. Like most of the country's farmers, a mighty obstacle stands in his way: irregular supply of irrigation water - abundant from April to November and scarce the rest of the year. Yet, plantations need regular water supply to produce the desired results. Tiakoumbié uses watering cans, but they are hardly efficient. And using them is quite exhausting.
The solution is rather simple, but resources are necessary for its implementation: through underground channels, a motor pump will help to irrigate the farmed areas. The PADL/CLK project is capable of installing this "semi-Californian" system.
Desired results: From less than half hectare developed in 2002, Tiakoumbié now farms five hectares with various crops: banana, cassava, maize, etc. His maize production has increased from 1.5 to 5 tons/ha, cassava from 9 to 40 tons/ha and banana reaches 45 tons/ha. This young man's spectacular success encourages him to go even further. In 2006, with his own resources, he bought a motor pump that enables him to increase his productivity and hire workers. He currently employs six workers. He houses them and pays for their health care, in addition to their salaries. With his new status, this father of three now runs two bank accounts, owns a cellular phone, a bicycle and a motorcycle; and he is optimistic about the future. He has built himself a house and does not intend to stop there. He plans to diversify his production. Overall, the project has aroused the enthusiasm of a young entrepreneur who now helps to raise the standard of living around him. He has motivated his neighbours who are willing to help efforts at food production.
A Groing Concern
The concrete support with motor pumps also benefits Tengréla farmers. In Tengréla, banana, maize and cocoa farming is now under irrigation year round. Farms that initially covered 20 hectares have expanded to reach 210 hectares. Things have improved to the extent that the cooperative responsible for these farms has opened a joint account at the "Caisse Populaire" and use the earnings to buy better tools, farm more land and sell the surplus harvests. The villagers are happy about the new and dignified lifestyle: better housing and the purchase of modern transportation means, etc.
Expanding Water Access
Several kilometres covered everyday hours on end, time weighs heavily on the inhabitants who must in addition toil hard to have a decent living and correctly feed their children.
Without a doubt, having water around Panga village would mark a precious advancement for this rural community. This forlorn hope has materialized since March 2008: a borehole is operational and it enables women, in particular, to fetch drinking water nearby, saving long hours and sparing themselves the fatigue of the past.
"Our life is now a lot easier," a woman resident tells us, "it is incomparable. With all our heart, we thank the project for this novelty that we cherish everyday."
Same change of life in Yendéré, where some 50 farmers have since 2008 benefited from two wells devoted to market gardening. A beneficiary, Lambert Sirima, explains: "We really suffered before now. We had to dig deep, sometimes unsuccessfully, often far in the bushes. Now, life is indeed better. Access to water enables us to increase our production and specialize per type of crop. We also earn more money selling our surplus. In short, we work less and earn more. Our lives have improved."
A Drudgery-reducing Mill
Extraordinary daily and exhausting effort! That was the life of women in Mondon village when milling cereals for their family's subsistence. When the project managers met with them to determine which technology would enable them to improve their living conditions, the choice was not difficult: a mill to transform cereals into flour.
Currently in Orodara, the women's community can grind cassava in two minutes - a task that could previously easily take three good hours - effortlessly, freeing time for other activities. In addition, increased production allows for the sales of surpluses to neighbouring communities and improved resources for better feeding and the sustaining of kids in school.
Moreover, by facilitating domestic chores, the project enables women to attend literacy classes. Indeed, for two months, the community went back to school to learn to read and count, with a view to better self-management. "We have gone beyond self-sufficiency and can produce to sell in markets. That is an undeniable advantage. We will continue on that path," comments Mrs. K. Sombié, head of a cooperative of some 100 women. "Besides, with this support, we can help our members as the need arises."
Mango: Making it Better by Drying
Who does not love mango, that sweet and juicy fruit? Yet, since the fruit decomposes so rapidly, few consumers can benefit except the lucky ones who live close to the plantations. But there is a method to extend the life and virtues of mangoes for others to benefit: drying.
Ousmane Sawadogo, Kénédougou Province Director of Agriculture and Water Resources, and Paul Ouédraogo, COOPAKE coordinator (a provincial cooperative) are proud to showcase such a project.
The cooperative obtains supplies from some 150 farmer who are members of the cooperative, then transforms the product by boiling it and extracting the juice. Thereafter, the product is put in sachets in forms dictated by the market: rolls, chips, sticks, with no chemical additives. This is resulting in an economic activity that brings in more revenue than cotton in the region.
For drying, COOPAKE initially bought four simple, but effective instruments to produce fully natural dry mango. Bio-production, fair trade. What could be better?
A treat much appreciated - to the extent that COOPAKE had to purchase nine additional dryers to meet demand that is coming from all over Africa and Europe, even Asia. Current production stands at nearly 30 tons, compared to barely 7 tons two years ago. This has resulted in the employment of more than fifty persons during the six month production period.
Proud of this success, the cooperative plans to open another production line for cashew nut. A project is under study.
The ingenuity does not end there. The waste produced was tested during a pilot experiment and proved to be very fertile for maize cultivation. Plans are underway to acquire an adjacent plot to better exploit this new promising niche.
Women have also shared in this great adventure through the Wili Ka Tama ("Rise and Walk") Association in Orodora, set up in 2005. The project provided them with four dryers, with which they produce three tons of mango per farming season. Inventive, the women have even gone ahead to diversify production. Mrs. Pélagie Coulibaly, Coordinator, pointed out that the women had set year-round work as their objective by producing other foods, especially bissap, attiéké and soumbala.
Looking Outwards for Better Farming Revenue
Besides a few tools, the nearly sixty nursery farmers in Orodora did not need more to find their niche and have their great work appreciated, even in other countries. Previously, farming was only possible during the rainy season, but farmers in this region now have work on their farms throughout the year, something that ends their traditional exodus to other regions. They produce no fewer than one million plants - mango, citrus, palm and cashew. Thanks to their simple but very useful tools - chain saw, wheelbarrow, cart, and basic tools - these farmers can work on their land for very long periods.
Moreover, with the top-grafting method (grafting another variety on a plant of the same family), the farmers can afford to produce according to market needs, without exhausting the land. And the adventure continues, to the extent that this occupation, still secondary in their schedule, tends to increasingly become their main activity - a promising future in their sustained development efforts..
Contacts
Yvan Cliche
