Bale: The Evangelical Church Development Office (ODE) organized the second edition of the Fara Mini Agricultural Products Promotional Fair from April 16 to 18, 2025, under the theme: “Promoting agricultural entrepreneurship among family farmers.” The opening ceremony was chaired by the president of the special delegation, Aloys Ouango. The fair showcased the latest developments from agricultural producers and processors over three days.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the exhibitors at the fair are beneficiaries of the “Economic and Agroecological Resilience Project,” implemented by the ODE with support from its partner Tearfund since June 2022. The fairgrounds attracted locals with a variety of agricultural products on display. Producers presented plantains, wheat, jackfruit, cocoa, and palm trees being tested in the municipality. Processors, many of them women, demonstrated their expertise in transforming agricultural products and non-timber forest products into foodstuffs, detergents, toilet soaps, and dish soaps.
Seed products and organic fertilizer sales stands were also featured. Organizers emphasized the organic nature of the products, as the project encourages environmentally friendly practices beneficial to consumer health. This fair reflects the results of ODE’s support and the commitment of both producers and processors.
Participants engaged in socio-cultural and sporting activities a day before the fair’s opening. The best producers and processors were awarded and received certificates of recognition. Outstanding performances in sociocultural and sporting activities were also celebrated. The mini-fair offered moments of celebration and awareness-raising for the social and economic well-being of the beneficiaries.
The beneficiaries’ representative, Ms. Guira Habiba, expressed pride in the mini-fair, stating, “This mini-fair is a source of pride for us. It shows what we have managed to build together with dignity, resilience, and hope. Each product on display tells the story of a family, a field, a group in a community that refuses to give up.”
ODE program coordinator Alain Bako highlighted ODE’s support for communities regardless of race, gender, or religion in their quest for better living. ODE aims to restore human dignity by promoting comprehensive, responsible, and sustainable development. After three years of implementation, beneficiaries, local authorities, and ODE managers acknowledged that the Fara economic and agro-ecological resilience project has helped structure producers, promote agroecology, boost marketing channels, and encourage savings practices through micro-savings groups.
Addressing the stakeholders, Aloys Ouango, president of the Fara special delegation, stated, “This mini-fair is not a simple commercial exhibition. It constitutes a dynamic showcase of our agricultural potential, the diversity of our productions and our capacity to organize ourselves around the local economy and to showcase the products from our land.” Mr. Ouango thanked ODE and its partner for their dedicated support in the commune of Fara and congratulated the producers, processors, and organizing committees for the event’s success.
The three-day mini-fair brought a vibrant atmosphere to the city, attracting visitors and buyers. The opening ceremony included local authorities, the ODE delegation, and the project team.