Bobo-dioulasso: The Director General of the Dumu Ka Fa Fund, Oula Damien OUATTARA, has issued a warning regarding the misuse of funding allocated to agro-pastoral and fisheries stakeholders. As part of a recent initiative to finance 500 poultry production microprojects, a second cohort of producers is currently participating in a training session on improved poultry breeding techniques, which began on August 19 and will run through August 24.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the training aims to enhance the theoretical and practical knowledge of poultry promoters to maximize project success, ensure compliance with contractual commitments, and contribute to national objectives for developing the poultry sector. The training participants hail from the Bankui, Tannounyan, Nando, Nazinon, Guiriko, and Dj´r´ regions, and are distributed across three training centers: Bobo-Dioulasso, Koudougou, and Manga. This initiative seeks to bolster their technical and managerial skills for modern and sustainable poultry farming.
Mr. OUATTARA highlighted the importance of strengthening production capacities to make the sector more resilient and appealing amid challenges. He emphasized that the training is part of a broader initiative involving 500 poultry microprojects, with the first phase funding 50 producers and the second phase targeting approximately 100 additional beneficiaries.
The Director General stated, "We decided to go for bands of 1,000 subjects, taking care of fixed costs and working capital needs, to allow you to have a competitive company capable of attacking the market." He also noted the necessity of offering initial training to all producers, even experienced ones, to update their knowledge and expose them to industry risks.
Mr. OUATTARA also reminded participants of the significant losses the national livestock sector suffered during the avian flu epidemics of the 2000s, underscoring the need for mastering production techniques to secure market supplies. He assured that the market remains buoyant, with no issues in finding buyers, but stressed the importance of efficient production and measures to protect the local market.
Furthermore, Mr. OUATTARA cautioned beneficiaries of the Fund against the improper use of public resources, emphasizing that funding is often misappropriated for unrelated purposes. "Too often, the funding granted is not used wisely," he lamented.
The Dumu Ka Fa Fund, established in February 2024 by the Burkinabe government, aims to address the financing needs of stakeholders in the agro-pastoral and fisheries sectors by offering loans at a fixed interest rate of 5% per year. Financing is available to individuals, businesses, cooperatives, public institutions, and state-owned companies.