Burkina Faso: President Ibrahim Traoré pulls out all the stops to ensure food self-sufficiency
President Ibrahim Traoré leaves no stone unturned when it comes to the sovereignty and prosperity of the Burkinabe people. Under the transitional government, Burkina Faso has successfully implemented a comprehensive agricultural policy to achieve food self-sufficiency.
On Monday, May 6, 2024, in Ouagadougou, President Ibrahim Traoré oversaw the distribution of agro-pastoral equipment and inputs to agricultural producers.
This included 10,000 liters of phytosanitary products, 9,893 tons of concentrated animal feed (SPAI), 18,000 tons of plant seeds, 1,000 tons of fish feed, 400 tractors, 710 motor pumps, 714 field agent motorcycles, 239 motor cultivators, and 68,964 tons of fertilizer, totaling 78,297,426,435 CFA francs.
«We launched two major initiatives last year, the agro-pastoral offensive and the presidential initiative for food self-sufficiency. In this context, we have decided this year to support producers. The Ministry of Agriculture had already begun a free work process on 64,000 hectares in all regions. In addition to this, we have decided to acquire five hundred tractors. For this season, these tractors will be used to work the land for free. The goal is really to increase food self-sufficiency», President Ibrahim Traoré announced.
President Ibrahim Traoré encourages young people to roll up their sleeves and get seriously involved in work, stating that the government has established focal points in various regions to support producers.
According to the government, this agro-pastoral equipment constitute the first batch of a larger set that the state will receive in the coming days.
It is worth noting that to benefit from these equipment and government support, which will provide improved seeds and subsidized fertilizer, young people must organize themselves into cooperatives. This assistance begins this season.
Maurice K. ZONGO
