Yako – In a significant agricultural initiative, at least 770 producers and market gardeners in the Passoré province received subsidized seeds, courtesy of the Burkinabe state. This distribution was part of the 2023-2025 Agro-pastoral and Fisheries Offensive campaign, facilitated by a delegation from the Ministry in charge of Agriculture, led by Commander Ismaël Sombié, on Thursday, December 7, 2023.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the Minister in charge of Agriculture, Commander Ismaël Sombié, symbolically handed over various types of subsidized seeds including corn, rice, onion, tomato, and cowpea in Yako. This initiative is spearheaded by the Resilience of the Food System in West Africa program in Burkina Faso (PRSA-BF). The seeds and agricultural inputs provided are valued at 400 million CFA francs and 6,983,000,000 CFA francs respectively.

Gaoussou Sanou, the Secretary General of the Ministry in charge of Agriculture, disclosed that 19 tons of cereal seeds and 73 kg of vegetable seeds were distributed in the Northern region as part of this program. The campaign was launched during the development of the Oumarou Kanazoé fire dam in Dourou, a village located near Yako.

Mr. Sanou emphasized that the seeds are expected to contribute significantly to the self-feeding of local populations in the area. Gilbert Ouédraogo, the provincial director in charge of Agriculture of Passoré, clarified that beneficiaries must possess a technical sheet and a payment receipt issued by the provincial tax directorate to qualify for the grant.

For the first phase of the PRSA in Passoré, three municipalities, namely Gomponsom, La-todin, and Yako, have been identified as beneficiaries. Salif Kientega, the PRSA/BF coordinator, underscored the crucial role of the ministry’s supervisory agents in the locality, tasked with ensuring the beneficiaries have paid their contribution.

Among the beneficiaries, Wendpiouré Ily expressed gratitude to Minister Sombié for the donation and promised to utilize the seeds effectively for agricultural production.