IFDC launched the Sustain Africa Burkina Faso project on Wednesday, February 7, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. By working to improve the availability, accessibility, and efficient use of fertilizers, this project aims to help small-scale producers access quality local fertilizers at affordable prices.
Burkina Faso currently faces a fertilizer crisis that is hampering farmers’ ability to meet their production needs. Although fertilizer production is supported by local blending plants, these are insufficient to meet demand. This situation creates heavy dependence on imports and exposes the country to the vagaries of the international market.
In response to this crisis, IFDC is launching Sustain Africa Burkina Faso as part of the global Sustain Africa initiative. “A great deal of effort has gone into making this intervention possible in Burkina Faso. Overall, Sustain Africa aims to supply 200,000 mt to over 2 million family farms in seven countries,” said Ben Valk, Executive Director of Sustain Africa.
“By mid-2024, the project aims to make 20,000 metric tons (mt) of local fertilizer available to 100,000 small-scale producers and 70 wholesalers and retailers.”
Dr. Bocar Diagana, IFDC Director of Enabling Impact
Sustain Africa Burkina Faso specifically targets the value chains for rice, maize, and vegetable crops such as onion, tomato, cabbage, peppers, and squash. With a total budget of $1,462,017 U.S. dollars for a five-month period starting in January 2024, this funding will enable the project to effectively implement its planned activities aimed at improving access to local fertilizers.
Moussa Dionou, IFDC Country Director of Burkina Faso and Mali, explained that Sustain Africa Burkina Faso offers IFDC the opportunity to further its support of small-scale producers through the project’s efforts toward the training of 100 grassroots community agents and the strengthening of retailer and agrodealer networks. The project will also organize fertilizer fairs in rural areas, broadcast radio extension programs in local languages, and facilitate commercial links between suppliers and buyers.
Sustain Africa Burkina Faso enjoys the support of several key players in the agriculture sector, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Resources, and Fisheries (MARAH), the Société d’Exploitation des Phosphates du Burkina (SEPB), the Burkina Faso Agro-Input Wholesalers and Retailers Association (AGRODIA), and the Administrative Council of Agricultural Input and Equipment Traders of Burkina Faso.
“We are convinced that our collaboration with Sustain Africa Burkina Faso will continue to bring tangible benefits to our farmers and the agriculture sector as a whole, and we are determined to continue our support for this noble cause for the well-being of our nation,” says MARAH representative Moussa Ouattara.
The Sustain Africa Burkina Faso project aims to not only enhance local fertilizer accessibility but also serve as a powerful catalyst, propelling a significant and lasting impact on the prosperity of smallholder farmers in Burkina Faso.
