Koudougou: The conference room of the Centre-West Regional Council in Koudougou, last Friday, brought together agricultural entrepreneurs (particularly from the market gardening and pig farming sectors) and decision-makers from the Nando region, AIB observed. Chaired by the president of the Centre-West regional special delegation, Adama Jean Yves Bere, the activity was part of an advocacy effort to promote sustainable solutions for the agricultural sector.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the main objective was to improve three crucial aspects for stakeholders: access to land and land tenure security, access to suitable and quality resources, and access to institutional markets. Three separate advocacy notes were submitted to decision-makers, including administrative authorities, customary authorities, microfinance institutions, and insurance companies, detailing the major difficulties faced by farmers.
The recommendations to facilitate access to land focused on the need to delimit and secure specific areas for agricultural use, to adopt specific measures facilitating access to land for young people and women and securing it, to reserve at least 30% of developed or to be developed areas for women and young people, and to involve traditional leaders in a discourse favorable to land access for these categories.
Regarding appropriate resources and financing, farmers recommended several measures, including accepting the Rural Land Ownership Certificate (APFR) as credit collateral, establishing a guarantee fund, granting appropriate credit with an interest rate not exceeding 7%, allocating at least 30% of resources to farmers, and subsidizing specific, adapted equipment.
To combat price volatility and guarantee stable incomes, the recommendations aimed to ensure the effective application of Decree No. 2017-002/PM/CAB of January 31, 2017, concerning the purchase of local products by state structures, to organize training sessions for agricultural entrepreneurs on the awarding and execution of public contracts, and to put in place a fluid system for sharing information on competitive bidding for the purchase of agricultural products.
Following the discussions, the decision-makers reaffirmed their commitment to supporting agricultural stakeholders. Microfinance institutions, in particular, presented their various products and facilities tailored to the sector. The meeting concluded on a note of general satisfaction and with a commitment to maintain this dialogue and consultation to guarantee lasting solutions to the challenges of the agricultural sector.