Burkina Faso / A major step towards food self-sufficiency: The Dourou irrigated perimeter makes President Ibrahim Traoré’s vision a reality

Burkina Faso has taken a historic step towards achieving food self-sufficiency, thanks to the visionary initiative of President Ibrahim Traoré. The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Resources and Fisheries, Commander Ismaël SOMBIE, officially launched work on the Dourou irrigated perimeter on Thursday 07 December 2023, marking the start of a major transformation in the country’s agricultural sector.

With a surface area of over 720 hectares, this development project, estimated to cost 17 billion CFA francs, is fully in line with the President’s vision of strengthening food security in Burkina Faso.

This irrigated perimeter represents a strategic response to the persistent challenges in terms of food availability, offering a sustainable solution to guarantee sufficient and diversified agricultural production.

The development of the Dourou perimeter is of vital importance, not only in terms of surface area, but also because of the expected yields.

During the wet season, rice production should reach more than 3,600 tonnes a year, making a significant contribution to reducing the country’s dependence on imports of this essential cereal.

In the dry season, the scheme aims to produce 17,000 tonnes of vegetables, further diversifying agricultural production and meeting the growing needs of the population.

This ambitious project is perfectly aligned with President Ibrahim Traoré’s overall vision for a prosperous and self-sufficient Burkina Faso.

By investing in agriculture, the government is demonstrating its unwavering commitment to the well-being of the population and the achievement of sustainable development goals.

Olivier TOE