Banwa: The Secretary General of the Banwa province, Abdoul Kader Kongzabré, officially launched the rice harvest on Saturday, October 12 in Solenzo, marking a significant step in the region’s agricultural campaign. The event took place during a guided tour of a 30-hectare developed lowland area dedicated to rice production, organized by the provincial agriculture department.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the agriculture director of Banwa province, Madou Coulibaly, highlighted the challenges and achievements of this year’s agricultural campaign. Despite a late start and security concerns, the province managed to cultivate over 90,000 hectares of cereals, 56 hectares of cash crops, and more than 8,000 hectares of food crops. The wet season was initially marked by low rainfall, leading to fears of drought, but was followed by excessive rainfall in the third quarter and October, causing flooding over 2,000 hectares.

The provincial director also noted the support from the state in the agro-pastoral an
d fisheries sectors. This year, the province saw 822 hectares of land plowed free of charge and 180 hectares of rice lowlands developed under state initiatives.

During the harvest launch, Abdoul Kader Kongzabré was accompanied by the Head of Solenzo Canton and various agricultural leaders and producers. The event provided a platform for local producers to voice their needs directly to the authorities. The spokesman for the producers, Abdoulaye Kiemdé, requested additional support for building dikes, as well as for the provision of storage facilities, a rice huller, and a ploughing tractor to enhance their agricultural operations.