Sissili: The NGO Helen Keller International, through the project “Path to Resilience and Women’s Empowerment” (RESIFA), organized a provincial guided tour on November 21, 2024, in the village of Sanga, highlighting the participatory varietal evaluation of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP). The event, chaired by the Secretary General of the province of Sissili, Baowindsida Bingo, aimed to promote food security and household income improvement while combating vitamin A deficiencies.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the NGO Helen Keller International (HKI) promoted the orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) in collaboration with its partners in 100 villages across the province of Sissili. This initiative, in partnership with INERA and local communities, focuses on introducing new varieties to enhance food security and boost household income.
The guided tour, led by Helen Keller International’s monitoring and evaluation assistant, Ali Yonli, was designed to assess the yields of the promoted varieties and f
acilitate experience sharing among local stakeholders. Various speakers, including health and agricultural representatives and the village farmer leader, discussed the significance of OFSP consumption and production in relation to nutrition and household food security, along with the different production stages.
Issaka Savalé, the coordinator of the RESIFA project, expressed gratitude for the successful activity. He explained that the RESIFA project, covering 2022 to 2025, follows a previous initiative aimed at promoting improved subsistence agriculture. Both projects aim to enhance productivity, household income, and women’s autonomy and resilience through economic strengthening initiatives such as Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs).
A presentation by the village leader farmer, Alizeta Nignan, detailed the results achieved on the site, showing an increase in yield from 5.45 tonnes per hectare in 2022-2023 to 10.18 tonnes in the 2024-2025 campaign, highlighting the efficacy of the Bagré variety.
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he Secretary General of Sissili province, Baowindsida Bingo, commended the organizers for their efforts and emphasized the importance of sustaining the project’s achievements. The event concluded with a cooking demonstration and tasting session of dishes based on PDCO, underscoring the project’s impact on local culinary practices.
