Yako Producers Receive Subsidized Potato Seeds from Agriculture Minister Ismaël Sombié

Yako, Burkina Faso – In a significant move to boost agricultural production, the Minister of Agriculture, Animal and Fisheries Resources, Commander Ismaël Sombié, distributed subsidized potato seeds to local producers in the Passoré province on Thursday.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the initiative is part of the 2023-2024 Agropastoral Campaign for the dry season in the Center-West and North regions. The distribution event in Yako marked a pivotal moment for local agriculture, with the Minister handing over 23 tons of potato seeds, estimated to cost 6 million 210,000 CFA francs, for planting on 23 hectares. The event was attended by a range of officials, including administrative, customary, religious, military, and paramilitary authorities.

Zemba Prosper, the general director of plant production in the North, explained that the subsidized potato seeds are expected to yield between 40 and 60 tonnes per hectare. This first distribution of potato seeds in Passoré is seen as a key step in enhancing the resilience of local populations, particularly benefiting internally displaced people in the province who will receive the seeds free of charge.

Moussa Semdé, a producer in sector 4 of Yako and one of the 23 beneficiaries, expressed profound gratitude for the donation. He emphasized the potential impact of the initiative on improving the nutritional needs of the population, as well as its financial empowerment benefits. Marceline Nabaloum, another beneficiary, highlighted the role of potato production in supporting her household expenses. She also expressed a desire for further support, including the provision of drilling and water towers, to better manage her production.

Both Semdé and Nabaloum urged the government to provide more agricultural inputs for enhanced yields and expressed hope for an increase in the variety and quantity of crops produced in the province. Semdé confidently spoke about the quality of the seeds received and his plans for their optimal utilization.

Minister Sombié advised the beneficiaries to sow the seeds promptly and avoid consuming them, to prevent spoilage. Gilbert Ouédraogo, the provincial director in charge of Agriculture in Passoré, informed the producers of the high-yield potential of the seeds. He encouraged them to heed the advice of agricultural agents, emphasizing that the resulting production will significantly aid in meeting the food needs of internally displaced people in the area.

Ouédraogo concluded by urging producers to take good care of the seeds, considering their high cost and the significant impact they could have on local agriculture and food security.