Context
In Burkina Faso, more than 40 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line and on less than two dollars a day. The agricultural sector employs about 80 per cent of the population but accounts for only one third of economic production.
The agri-food sector is characterised primarily by small, low-productivity enterprises using traditional techniques. They do not have proper access to adequate and innovative solutions to address the food needs of a growing population, the degradation of arable land and the effects of climate change.
The value added by food processing remains under-exploited: technologies and techniques used are often neither adequate nor innovative. Agricultural businesses operate below capacity and have difficulty placing their products in expanding markets still overwhelmed by imported goods.
Long-term supply strategies that could ensure sufficient quantities and quality of raw materials are also lacking, limiting the profitability of such businesses and their contribution to long-term job creation.
Objective
Innovations in the agri-food sector have contributed to stable rural development in selected rural regions.
Approach
The project works with a broad range of relevant actors using:
- The value-chain approach to disseminate innovations adapted to local, regional and international market opportunities.
- Public-private partnerships (PPP) to identify and disseminate innovations and connect Burkinabè enterprises with international actors, accessing and disseminating appropriate solutions.
- Inclusive business models to promote business relationships between farmers, local traders and processors, including integrated services (e.g., input supply, pre-financing, advisory services) and ensuring market access on competitive and fair conditions.
- Capacity-building and know-how transfer through model farmers, local trainers and farmer organisations to develop the required skills in the population