Latest news with #Burkina Faso
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
African Development Fund supports climate-resilient rice value chains across West Africa
The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund (ADF) ( the concessional funding window of the African Development Bank Group ( on 17 July 2025 approved a $9.44 million grant for the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) to strengthen the climate resilience of rice value chains across West Africa. Funded through ADF's Climate Action Window ( the project will support rice producers and processors in 13 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. The initiative, part of the Regional Resilient Rice Value Chains Development Project in West Africa (REWARD), and specifically its adaptation component (REWARD-Adaptation), aims to scale up the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices and technologies throughout the rice production and processing sectors. "The strategy for this project is to reduce the vulnerability and strengthen the resilience of rice value chains, from production to processing and marketing, while lowering greenhouse gas emissions through the dissemination and adoption of climate-smart practices and technologies," said Marwan Ladki, Senior Irrigation Engineer at the African Development Bank, who is responsible for the project. Key project interventions include the distribution of climate-resilient rice seeds to 11,000 farmers, including 4,950 women and 6,600 young farmers. It will train 12,600 farmers and processors, support 65 small and medium-sized enterprises with equipment and improved access to business networks, and facilitate the provision of climate services and early warning systems through digital platforms and radio broadcasts, reaching up to 2 million beneficiaries. The project will also deploy four automatic weather stations per country to improve spatial coverage and climate monitoring. It is projected to create 47,000 employment opportunities, including 8,000 permanent and 39,000 seasonal jobs. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB). Media contact: Alexis Adélé Department of Communication and External Relations media@ About AfricaRice: The Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), based in Côte d'Ivoire, is a pan-African centre of excellence for rice research, development and capacity building. It contributes to reducing poverty, ensuring food and nutrition security, and improving the livelihoods of farmers and other actors in the rice value chain in Africa by increasing the productivity and profitability of rice-based agri-food systems, while ensuring the sustainability of natural resources. About the African Development Bank Group: The African Development Bank Group is Africa's leading development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). Represented in 41 African countries, with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and social progress of its 54 regional member countries. For more information:
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
In Burkina Faso, cashew cultivation is a lever for sustainable and inclusive rural development
Launched in 2017 and completed in 2024, the Cashew Development Support Project in the Comoé Basin for REDD+ (PADA/REDD+) exemplified sustainable development. The project combined poverty reduction, ecological transition and the empowerment of women and young people, achieving a remarkable implementation rate of 95 percent. It has revitalised the cashew nut industry, Burkina Faso's third largest agricultural export after cotton and sesame. The PADA/REDD+ project received support from the African Development Bank, which granted a loan of $4 million, and the African Development Fund, the Bank Group's concessional funding window, with a grant of $1.39 million, representing 61 percent of the total project cost of $8.82 million. The government of Burkina Faso and the beneficiaries provided the remaining funding. The project mobilised the necessary resources to contribute to the sustainable transformation of the Cascades, Hauts Bassins and South-West regions, with significant participation from women. It enabled producers to reduce maintenance costs, improve soil fertility and structure, and increase cashew productivity and incomes in a sustainable manner. Climate action combined with agricultural production The first component of the PADA/REDD+ focused on carbon sequestration. This resulted in the creation of seven tree parks, the production of more than 1.6 million improved seedlings and the development of approximately 27,000 hectares of agroforestry plantations. One-third of these plantations are maintained by women, underlining the project's commitment to promoting social inclusion. A total of 35,340 producers, including 6,047 women, were trained in good agricultural and organic practices. This capacity-building approach for producers and processors equipped each stakeholder with the skills required to meet their needs and expectations, particularly in mastering technical production and processing methods. Adama Patrick Sombié, a cashew nut processor in Bérégadougou, confirms his satisfaction: "Before the project, there were no cashew tree parks in the village, only forest and a few orchards. When the project offered plots to promoters, I signed up and received two hectares." Access to finance and modernization of processing The second component of the project focused on strengthening value chains. Long hampered by limited access to finance, the sector's development has benefited from an innovative partnership with the umbrella organisation of Burkina Faso's Caisses populaires banks, alongside savings and loan cooperatives. This mechanism enabled investment loans to be granted based on a sliding scale of interest rates, financing 103 microprojects for a total of 888 million CFA francs, or approximately $500,000. The project also created 9,580 additional "green" jobs, 92.66 percent of which were for women, by financing micro-investment projects. Thanks to the funding provided, seven processing units were modernised. A new unit called "Tensya" was established in the commune of Toussiana, and three warehouses were built, one of which is reserved for women. The project also enabled the purchase of 12 trucks and 45 tricycles, training in good practices for 631 people, strengthening the environmental skills of 477 stakeholders, and the construction and equipping of infrastructure such as a cooking and shelling centre for women in Diéri, entirely subsidised by the African Development Bank. An inclusive and sustainable impact These microprojects reached nearly 18,000 people, 61 percent of whom were women, further strengthening the inclusive approach of PADA/REDD+. "This project is a blessing for us. Thanks to the income generated, we can send our children to school and keep them healthy. Before, we used to sell our products at rock-bottom prices, but now, with our own processing units, we control the entire value chain," says Aramatou Barro, a processor in Diéri. Christiane Koné, a processor in Toussiana, confirms this postive impact: "Thanks to the project, we have been able to purchase six automatic shelling machines, which are twice as fast as our 25 manual shelling tables." At the same time, the project structured supply networks, ensured that 96 cooperatives complied with OHADA (Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa) standards and implemented an environmental management plan. Working conditions have improved significantly. Isso Kindo, a trader in Bobo-Dioulasso, says: "Transport was our main obstacle. Today, thanks to the truck financed by the project, I can transport up to 60 tonnes of nuts from the towns of Banfora and Mangodara." The impact of PADA/REDD+ can also be measured in terms of job creation for young people and rural entrepreneurs. In Orodara, Arzouma Zougouri, a producer and business owner, explains that "the project's support has enabled me to better equip my processing unit. I've gone from 200 to 300 employees," he says proudly. By structuring the cashew nut sector sustainably, increasing productivity and strengthening local processing, PADA/REDD+ achieved its objectives whilst laying the foundations for more resilient rural development. Its contribution to carbon sequestration through agroforestry plantations strengthens its environmental impact. Perennial plantations, modernised agricultural practices, a strengthened local processing network and better access to finance were the pillars of this success. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Zawya
12-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Shakhboot bin Nahyan Receives Foreign Minister of Burkina Faso
His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, received His Excellency Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and Burkinabè Abroad of the Republic of Burkina Faso, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abu Dhabi. During the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral relations between the UAE and Burkina Faso and explored ways to enhance cooperation across various sectors, particularly in the areas of economic partnerships, investment opportunities, and sustainable development. Furthermore, the two sides exchanged views on regional and international developments of mutual interest, emphasizing the importance of strengthening diplomatic cooperation to support peace, security, and stability in Africa and the wider region. Both sides commended the strong ties between the UAE and Burkina Faso, and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral relations for the benefit of both countries and their peoples. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Arab Emirates, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
