Ouagadougou: The technical coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Agricultural Production and Food Self-Sufficiency (IP-P3A), Inoussa Ouedraogo, announced that agricultural Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) have commenced operations on their cowpea, corn, sesame, and okra production sites across regions including Nando, Guiriko, and Djoro.
According to Burkina Information Agency, Inoussa Ouedraogo, along with his delegation, undertook a tour of various production sites managed by young agricultural entrepreneurs to evaluate their working conditions over the past week. During visits to the municipalities in the Nando, Guiriko, and Djoro regions, it was confirmed that the "agricultural production battalions," initiated by the government in Banogo (Ziniare) and Matroukou (Bobo-Dioulasso), have officially started their activities for the 2025-2026 agricultural season.
The tour extended to multiple locations including Pouni, Boni, Bondigui, Valiou, Koumbia, Gbolo, Ouessa, Niego, Koper, Dissin, and Oronkua, where Ouedraogo engaged with young farmers, providing them with advice to ensure a successful agricultural campaign. Informal discussions involving the National Office of Major Projects of Burkina (BN-GPB) covered topics such as site development, equipment inadequacies, and the establishment of water points for agricultural use.
Ouedraogo reassured the agricultural VDPs of the State's collaborative efforts with local authorities to address the challenges they face. He emphasized the importance of monitoring the young agricultural VDPs trained under the IP-P3A, noting that nearly three teams are traveling across all 80 municipalities to assess the progress of the agricultural campaign. These agricultural entrepreneurs underwent three months of training at specialized centers, including civics and patriotism training at the Banogo camp, before returning to their respective localities.
The IP-P3A technical coordinator expressed gratitude to various officials and praised the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traore, for his visionary leadership. Despite acknowledging the challenges faced in the first year of experimentation, Ouedraogo expressed optimism due to the dedication shown by the young people who actively engaged with their sites upon returning from training.
The cultivated areas vary from 3 to 13 hectares, with some agricultural entrepreneurs traveling up to 30 kilometers to reach their production sites. He reiterated the commitment of local authorities and the population to support the Head of State's vision of resolving youth employability issues and achieving food self-sufficiency in Burkina Faso.
Koumbamouri Some, the agricultural VDP delegate for the commune of Oronkua, expressed appreciation for the IP-P3A, highlighting its potential to facilitate year-round production. Franck Hien, from Koper, commended Captain Ibrahim Traore for the initiative and urged other VDPs and the population to join the IP-P3A in achieving food sovereignty in Burkina Faso.