IFAD-Supported Program to Boost Agriculture in Burkina Faso

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) announced a US$19 million livelihood support program in Burkina Faso that intends to boost crop production and farm incomes by providing farmlands with micro-scale irrigation and water management systems. Signed by Léné Sebgo, Burkina Faso’s Director-General for Cooperation, and Kanayo F. Nwanze, IFAD’s Vice-President, the program will be funded in part by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund for International Development.

 “There is a new political will to boost small-scale irrigated agriculture in the country,” said Norman Messer, IFAD country program manager for Burkina Faso. “New, affordable micro-irrigation technologies and improved roads to get products to markets will encourage farmers to take advantage of the emerging opportunities for increasing incomes in the region.” The project will facilitate the building of 250 hectares vegetable gardens equipped with small scale irrigation systems and refurbishing of 200 hectares of gravity-based, micro-irrigation sites downstream from dams. Since the project will be carried out in six provinces in the southwestern part of the country, bordering Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, it is expected to enhance national and cross-border trade.

The press release is available at http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2008/08.htm