BANAKÉLÉDAGA, Bama — On Friday, February 23, 2024, Burkina Faso marked the commencement of the Livestock Resilience and Competitiveness Project (PRECEL) in Banakélédaga, within the commune of Bama in the Hauts-Bassins region. The Minister of Agriculture, Animal and Fisheries Resources, Ismaël Sombié, led the launch ceremony of this significant initiative, which is set to transform the agro-silvo-pastoral sector of the nation.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the PRECEL is a major financial endeavor with a budget allocation of 120,598,617,000 F CFA, spanning from 2023 to 2029. This project underscores the Burkinabe government’s dedication to bolstering the agro-silvo-pastoral sector—a critical economic pillar that contributes significantly to food security, job creation, and poverty alleviation in the country.
The project, which became effective on December 18, aims to enhance the productivity, commercialization, and resilience of the principal sedentary livestock production systems across all 13 regions of Burkina Faso. It is jointly funded by the Burkinabè State, contributing 5,085,431,000 F CFA, the World Bank with a massive 92,745,451,000 F CFA investment, partner financial institutions adding 13,602,641,000 F CFA, and a substantial contribution of 9,165,094,000 F CFA from the beneficiaries themselves.
Amadou Dicko, the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Agriculture, Animal and Fishery Resources, highlighted the project’s objectives. He noted that PRECEL aims to boost the productivity of cattle, sheep, and goats, increase milk production per cow per year, and escalate the volume of sales of meat, eggs, milk, and derived products. An ambitious goal of the project is to support 80,000 vulnerable breeders, including 40,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), and to provide 120,000 breeders with improved breeding practices. “Ultimately, it is estimated that 1,500,000 direct beneficiaries including 600,000 women will be affected by PRECEL,” Dicko stated.
Dicko emphasized the project’s potential to create micro-growth centers, which will significantly contribute to poverty reduction and the achievement of the country’s food sovereignty. He called for a genuine involvement from the beneficiary populations, rural sector development stakeholders, and municipal, provincial, and regional authorities in the project’s success.
Erick Herman Abiassi, representing the World Bank, praised the project’s timely introduction and its role in enhancing the sector’s resilience. He emphasized the project’s collaborative approach, involving national actors, local communities, the private sector, and technical and financial partners, to implement innovative and sustainable solutions for the livestock sector. Abiassi reaffirmed the World Bank’s commitment to supporting Burkina Faso’s agricultural sector, a key driver of growth and development.
The project coordinator, Soumaïla Bitibali, outlined the project’s alignment with the objectives of the national action plan for stabilization and development and the 2023-2025 agropastoral offensive, aiming at comprehensive sector improvements and enhanced living conditions for breeders and their communities.