Burkina Faso: At the initiative of H.E. Ibrahim Traoré, the government is mobilizing military personnel and auxiliaries in agricultural production

The Burkinabe government has adopted the Presidential Initiative for Agricultural Production 2023/24, aiming to develop 11,000 hectares of land and produce approximately 190,000 tons of cereals and vegetables. 3,000 military personnel and auxiliaries from the army, as well as 4,000 internally displaced persons, will be mobilized for its implementation.

With a cost of over 22 billion CFA francs (35 million dollars), this initiative will enable the production of approximately 190,000 tons of cereals and vegetables on around 11,000 hectares.

«The objectives of this initiative include meeting the national demand for rice in a context marked by security constraints, climate change, and import restrictions linked to the Russo-Ukrainian crisis. The initiative also aims at preparing the combat forces for the agriculture profession after the war against terrorism and the production of high-yield sorghum, maize, and millet by the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP)», according to the government.

According to its spokesperson, Jean-Emmanuel Ouédraogo, through this initiative, the head of state wanted to «involve the combat forces in agricultural production in order to have the capacity to ensure the security of a certain number of sites for production».

The contribution of detainees is also envisaged.

The initiative, which will mobilize over 1,000 military personnel, over 2,000 Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland, and over 4,000 internally displaced persons, consists of three components.

The first component is the emergency initiative for intensifying rice cultivation, which will cover 4,000 hectares.

The second component is the Burkina Military Food Program, which will mobilize 3,500 hectares.

The third component corresponds to the of the Defense Homeland Production against Food Insecurity (PDPIA), covering 3,500 hectares.

Yannick H.