Day: May 22, 2024

GAFSA: Durum wheat production in the Gafsa governorate for the current agricultural season is estimated at around 153,000 quintals, compared to 90,000 quintals in the previous season.

This increase is attributed to the doubling of the areas dedicated to wheat cultivation and the encouragement of farmers to produce grain, according to data presented by the Local Agricultural Development Authority (CRDA) during a working session held on Tuesday at the headquarters of the Gafsa governorate.

The areas sown with durum wheat for this season amount to 3,400 hectares, compared to 2,000 hectares last year. According to the same source, these are irrigated areas distributed mainly in the Gafsa-North and Sidi Aïch delegations.

The CRDA estimates that the average yield of durum wheat this season will be 45 quintals/ha, compared with 25 quintals/ha last season.

“The incentives given to a large number of farmers to encourage them to plant durum wheat on their land have had a positive impact in terms of increasing the a
rea sown, which has led to an increase in production,” said local agricultural development officer, Mohamed Ammar Guendouzi, during the meeting.

Seasonal loans granted to farmers by the Tunisian Solidarity Bank (BTS) for this purpose have reached TND 550,000.

The Gafsa governorate has a collection and storage centre under the Grain Office, with a storage capacity estimated at around 100,000 quintals.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

The Permanent Secretariat for the Modernization of Administration and Good Governance organized on Tuesday May 21, 2024 in Bobo-Dioulasso an awareness workshop for students from schools and vocational training centers on the law strengthening political neutrality and meritocracy in public administration.

The Permanent Secretariat for the Modernization of Administration and Good Governance, a structure attached to the Ministry in charge of the Civil Service, intends to popularize Law No. 002-2023/ALT of March 16, 2023, strengthening political neutrality and meritocracy in public administration .

After the heads of decentralized services, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and many other actors, he spoke on Tuesday May 21, 2024 in Bobo-Dioulasso during a workshop, with students from schools and professional training centers in Hauts-Bassins.

The provisions of the law were explained to the learners who were also made aware of the respect of its various provisions.

At the opening of the session, the head of
the department responsible for promoting good governance at the permanent secretariat for the modernization of administration and good governance, Ahmed Zampaligré, affirmed that the workshop aims to make it known further the law and allow its popularization in the regions through a target audience such as decentralized technical services, local authorities, civil society, students of schools and vocational training centers, and customary and religious authorities.

He expects the different target audiences to appropriate the law and its provisions, and that in return they will be ambassadors to their respective structures in order to have the support of all stakeholders for its implementation.

The head of studies at the Hauts-Bassins governorate, Boulaye Tamani, representing the governor, praised the holding of this workshop which will strengthen students’ knowledge of the law.

For the general delegate of students of the Regional Institute of Administration (IRA) of Hauts-Bassins, Zakaria Kadio, the worksh
op was a framework for learning and strengthening knowledge on the said law.

He intends to get the message across so that everyone can adhere to it within administrations.

The law strengthening political neutrality and meritocracy in public administration was adopted in order to put an end to the phenomenon of politicization of the various structures of public administration.

Indeed, the various reports had exposed the politicization of public administration. It manifests itself through favoritism, appointments of convenience, or the existence of clans in the administration.

These practices, according to these reports, result in incompetence, poor management of public resources, poor performance of the administration and dissatisfaction of beneficiary users.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

On the sidelines of the celebration of the day of customs and traditions in Gaoua, in the South-West, the canton of the locality organized on Thursday, May 16, 2024, a public conference, on the themes ‘ Contribution of customs in the strengthening of peace and social cohesion in the South-West’ and ‘The joking kinship between the people of the South-West and the Sénoufo, Gouin, Turka and assimilated on the one hand, and on the other hand, between the people of the Lobi branch.

At the initiative of the canton of Gaoua, a public conference was held on Thursday, May 16, 2024, on the sidelines of the celebration of customs and traditions.

This conference focused on two themes. The first, the theme: ‘Contribution of customs in strengthening peace and social cohesion in the South-West’, was hosted by the living human treasure, fervent defender of tradition, Konomba Traoré.

Traoré called for awareness among elders and parents. He insisted on the importance of returning to the source, because according to him, ‘re
ligions have killed the culture of Africa’.

‘Nowadays we have lost our soul, our dignity, our pride and the love of our ancestors. And a people who do not live in their culture,’ he continued, are a people who are condemned not to develop. For the living human treasure, it is difficult to develop the country if the Burkinabè ignores their culture.

‘We have abandoned our African education in favor of Western education and we have added religion to it,’ he lamented.

In the second communication on “The joke relationship between the peoples of the South-West and the Sénoufo, Gouin, Turka and assimilated on the one hand, and on the other hand, between the peoples of the Lobi branch”, was led by Dr Ollo Pépin Hien, teacher at Joseph Ki Zerbo University.

For him, kinship and joke alliance are a legendary special institution that dates back to ancient times with the aim of cultivating solidarity, peace and social cohesion between communities.

‘They play a role of social regulation and mediation through games suc
h as insults, mockery and often violent remarks,’ said the speaker.

Joking relationships, lamented the communicator, are now losing ground.

The head of Gaoua Canton, Bifaté II, through this conference, said he wanted to unite actions for a return to customs and traditions.

‘I came to bring together lobis from all over the world so that we can meet to discuss our customs, our culture and our ancestors,’ he said.

This is why Bifaté II invited those familiar with the tradition to discuss social cohesion and jogging kinship.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

Ouagadougou: On the occasion of the celebration of the 19th edition of Credit Union Week, the Network of Credit Unions of Burkina (RCPB), through its social unit, organized on Wednesday a collection of blood in order to show solidarity with sick people.

‘We organized this blood drive to respond to the lack of blood in blood transfusion services with a view to saving lives,’ said the General Director of the umbrella organization of credit unions in Burkina, Azaratou Sondo/Nignan.

Ms Sondo spoke on Wednesday in Ouagadougou, while she offered her blood to, she said, set an example in order to ‘save lives while staying alive’. She also took the opportunity to invite anyone who has the opportunity to donate blood not to hesitate.

According to the general director, the Network of Caisses Populaires du Burkina is a savings and credit cooperative whose mission is to contribute to improving the living conditions of populations through its social and economic aspects.

However, regrets Azaratou Sondo/Nignan, the soc
ial aspect is not very perceptible. This is why each year, during Caisse Populaire Week, the network carries out social works to demonstrate its solidarity and commitment to the populations.

In addition to blood donation, community works will be carried out to impact the living conditions of the beneficiaries, said the general director of the RCPB.

The Caisse Populaire Network was created in 1972 with the ambition of getting closer to the populations, of getting involved with them, and thus contributing to the economic and social well-being of the members and the entire community

Source: Burkina Information Agency

The NGO Responsabilité Espoir Vie Solidarité (REVS PLUS) organized an advocacy workshop with community leadership stakeholders on respect for the human rights of people affected by or infected with HIV, on Friday May 17, 2024 in Houndé in the Tuy province.

The NGO Responsabilité Espoir Vie Solidarité (REVS PLUS) is concerned with respecting the human rights of people affected by or infected with HIV.

To this end, she organized an advocacy workshop for community stakeholders on Friday May 17, 2024 in Houndé.

The meeting, chaired by the Secretary General of the Tuy Province (SGP), Bassidiki Ouattara, representing the High Commissioner, brought together Defense and Security Forces (FDS), customary and religious leaders, and social organizations. civil society (CSO).

According to Mr. Ouattara, even if HIV infection is trending downward with a national rate of 0.6%, the fact remains that the prevalence among certain segments of the population is alarming.

The SGP cites as proof a recent study which reveals th
at this rate is 6.8% for sex workers, 27.1% for men who have sex with men, 2.15% for prisoners, 4. 6% for disabled people, and 0.5% for drug users.

According to him, these different rates are the consequences of the stigmatization and discrimination suffered by the people concerned.

This prevents them, he is convinced, from having access to HIV prevention and treatment tools.

For the administrator of the REVS PLUS Houndé branch, Moumouni Traoré, representing the president of the board of directors of REVS PLUS, the objective of this meeting is to create a framework for exchange between stakeholders for health actions offered to those concerned by community associations in Hounde.

To enable participants to understand the challenges of the fight against HIV and the health services offered, several communications were given during the meeting.

Furthermore, discussions on the contribution of associations and the support of stakeholders, in particular religious leaders, traditionalists and FDS in the fight ag
ainst HIV made it possible to develop a roadmap for community leadership.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

Ouagadougou: Despite the difficult context, Burkina Faso achieved a growth rate of 3.6% in 2023 and expects 5.5% in 2024, announced the Minister of Economy Aboubacar Nacanabo.

‘Despite exogenous and endogenous shocks, Burkina Faso achieved a growth rate of 3.6% compared to 1.8% in 2022,’ we read in a summary of the council of ministers made by the presidency of Faso.

For 2024, Burkina Faso is counting on a growth rate of 5.5%, said the Minister of the Economy Aboubacar Nacanabo, according to the same source.

‘The inflation rate saw a clear drop from 14.1% in 2022 to 0.7% at the end of 2023,’ we still read in the summary.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

In order to close their alabaster jubilee, the brothers of the hall organized a thanksgiving mass on Saturday, May 18, 2024 at the Notre Dame de Lourdes Cathedral in Bobo-Dioulasso. The said mass was celebrated by the Bishop of Banfora, Monsignor Lucas Kalfa Sanou.

It has been 75 years since the brothers of the room set foot on the soil of Burkina Faso through the intervicarial normal school of Toussiana.

In order to commemorate these 75 years of existence, a jubilee was opened on May 13, 2023. The closing of this celebration took place on Saturday May 18, 2024 with a thanksgiving mass at the Notre Dame de Lourdes cathedral in Bobo-Dioulasso.

The said mass was celebrated by the Bishop of Banfora, Monsignor Lucas Kalfa Sanou in the presence of Mgr Paul Ouédraogo, Archbishop of Bobo-Dioulasso.

There were many bishops, priests and religious as well as ‘Lasallian’ students to take part in this celebration which is a way, according to the organizers, of demonstrating their unity and their commitment to Catholi
c education in Burkina Faso.

For Mgr Lucas Kalfa Sanou, this alabaster jubilee is a way of recognizing the efforts made by the brothers of Catholic schools in order to offer human education in the Christian faith and to give thanks to God.

‘This celebration is a way of continuing this work of educating young people,’ he suggested.

The godfather of the jubilee, Armand Badiel, also national director of the Commercial and Economic Bank of West Africa (BCEAO) for Burkina Faso, said he accepted sponsorship this jubilee to give back to the ‘Lasallian’ school this that she gave him.

‘It is out of a duty that I accepted this role of godfather, because I arrived in these schools by miracle and I had to give back what I learned in return,’ he said.

According to him, these schools prepare for life. In the opinion of Armand Badiel, they provide an integral education which goes beyond memorization in order to give oneself the capacities to be an active citizen capable of helping the nation move forward.

According to
visiting brother from the ‘Lasallian’ district of West Africa, Rodrigue Toeppen, it is an opportunity to give thanks to God for everything he has done for his people in Burkina Faso since 1948.

In the same vein, he added that this alabaster jubilee marks a reality and a passing of the baton since its existence.

‘It is also the place to better analyze Lasallian education in order to adapt it to current situations through a local participatory approach,’ said the visiting brother from the ‘Lasallian’ district of West Africa.

During the mass, Mgr Lucas Kalfa Sanou briefly informed the faithful of the exploits of Jean-Baptiste de la Salle.

He in fact emphasized that Jean-Baptiste de la Salle was a charismatic who was concerned about valuable Christian education for children and youth.

To continue this dynamic, Bishop Lucas Sanou urged the brothers of Catholic schools to continue in this direction while allowing the spirit of God to resonate within them.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

Ouagadougou: His Excellency Marat Muratov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, received on Friday May 17, 2024 at the Kremlin headquarters in Kazan, the Director General of the Union of Press Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (UNA), His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Abd Rabbo Al-Yami.

During the meeting, which was held in the presence of a number of directors and representatives of member agencies, Al-Yami reviewed the Union’s plan and vision to promote the work of the media in Islamic countries and strengthen cooperation in the field of media between Russia and the Islamic world.

Al-Yami also reviewed part of the Union’s programs and forums implemented in Russia and in cooperation with Russian media institutions, emphasizing the Union’s readiness to act as a media link between Tatarstan and Islamic countries, based on Russia’s presence in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation as an observe.

Al-Yami pointed out that the union has concluded a number of memorandums of u
nderstanding with major Russian media outlets, including ‘Sputnik’ news agency, ‘TASS’ news agency, ‘Interfax’ news agency’, the ‘Russia Today’ network and the ‘Tatmedia’ agency.

For his part, the Assistant to the President of the Republic of Tatarstan praised the Union’s media initiatives and its efforts to bring together media institutions in Russia and their counterparts in OIC countries.

The meeting is part of the Federation’s participation in the work of the ‘Kazan Forum 2024’ and accompanying events and activities.

On the sidelines of the forum, the Union organized a media forum in cooperation with the Tatmedia agency, with the participation of media experts from Russia and the Islamic world.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

The final of the 2nd edition of the Sans Tabous debates was held on Saturday May 18, 2024 in Bobo-Dioulasso on the main theme: ‘Law, sexual and reproductive health in crisis situations safe’.

The 2nd edition of the debates without taboos reached its apotheosis on Saturday May 18, 2024 in Bobo-Dioulasso.

It brought together ten university candidates in the national public speaking competition category, and 18 teams from high schools and colleges in the city of Sya for the public speaking debates.

In the high school and college category, the team from the Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel private high school (LPNDC) gained the upper hand over its competitor in the final, the Tounouma boys’ college.

For around thirty minutes, the two finalists (LPNDC and Tounouma Garçon) questioned whether or not compulsory contraception is necessary for young internally displaced girls in Burkina Faso.

At the end of the debate, the jury declared the LPNDC team the winner with a score of 32.99/40 against 30.99/40 for the Tounouma b
oys’ college.

Third place was occupied by Sainte-Marie college.

The final of the national public speaking competition pitted three candidates from different universities against each other on the main theme of the edition: ‘Law, sexual and reproductive health in a security crisis’.

For this category, the undergraduate student at the Pan-African Institute for Study and Research on Media, Information and Communication (IPERMIC), Charifatou Koama won first prize with a score of 89 out of 100 against Boris Coulibaly of the Bobo University Institute of Technology (IUT), and Baswendé Kafando of the Higher Institute of Health Sciences (INSSA).

Of the two categories, the student in 1ereD class at LPNDC, Nelly Josianne Traoré is elected best speaker of the oratorical debates, 2024 edition.

She expressed her gratitude to the organizers of this competition.

‘We thank the organizers for giving us this framework of expression to debate the ills of society,’ she said.

For her, the theme of the final allowed them to
understand the problems faced by Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in this crisis situation in Burkina Faso.

According to the president of the jury Zakaria Zagré, the two categories of the public speaking debates were up to par compared to last year and met the expectations of the jury members.

‘The candidates worked a lot, they took into account last year’s comments, it was the best competition,’ he said.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

Ouagadougou: The governor of the Center-West region, Boubacar Nouhoun Traoré, handed over on Tuesday to Koudougou, a batch of rolling and medical-technical equipment worth around 250 million FCFA, to health facilities in the region, with a view to contributing to the improvement of the functional capacities of health structures in the said region.

Worth approximately 250 million CFA francs, the equipment is essentially composed of 03 station wagon vehicles, 432 delivery tables, 432 2-step stepladders, 315 hospital beds, 9 resuscitation tables of newborns, 02 gynecological operating tables, 326 adjustable stools on casters, 172 examination tables and 500 gynecological examination tables, indicates the communication services of the Ministry of Health.

For the Central-West Regional Director of Health and Public Hygiene, Dr Moussa Sana, this donation will benefit all health facilities in the region and the Koudougou Regional Hospital Center.

He also specified that this essential equipment will contribute to im
proving the functional capacities of health facilities in the region.

According to the governor of the Center-West region , Boubacar Nouhoun Traoré, the rolling and medical-technical equipment consolidates the enormous efforts already made by the government as part of improving the health system in Burkina Faso.

The first manager of the region, on behalf of the entire population of the City of the Red Rider, expressed his gratitude to the government through the Ministry in charge of Health and to its technical and financial partners, in particular the World Bank.

Officially presented on May 14, 2024 in Ouagadougou, this donation from the World Bank is part of the implementation of the actions of the Health Services Strengthening Project (PRSS) and the Covid-19 Preparedness and Response Project. (PPR-Covid).

Source: Burkina Information Agency

Around ten actors from the Center-South and Center-East regions are participating, from May 21 to 24, 2024, in Tiébélé, in the province of Nahouri, in training on the maintenance and management of systems photovoltaic solar panels , at the initiative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

A total of 14 people are involved in this training session. They come from the communes of Bittou, Zabré and Zoaga in the Center-East region and Gogo, Gon-Boussougou, Ziou and Tiébélé from the Center-South region. These are localities of intervention of the ”Lands of Opportunity in the Sahel” (LOGMe) project which encouraged, within them, the establishment of climate-smart villages by providing them with photovoltaic solar installations at namely boreholes equipped with solar systems, solar street lights, production and transformation units operating on photovoltaic solar energy.

By initiating training for the benefit of these actors in the rural world, the International Union for Conservation of N
ature (IUCN) wants to have a qualified workforce to effectively maintain and manage these systems, declared the LOGMe project manager at IUCN, Bassourou Boyla. These technicians will also help, at the same time, to ‘ improve livelihoods and in turn help reduce, reverse and avoid landscape degradation ,’ noted Mr. Boyla.

Concretely during the four days of learning and development, indicated the trainer Aboubakar Minougou, the participants will be introduced to photovoltaic solar technology and its areas of application and to the sizing and installation techniques of domestic and commercial solar systems. and solar pumping systems. They will also learn to plan and implement a preventive and curative maintenance program and carry out practical work on the assembly and troubleshooting of these systems. In addition to the theoretical and practical phase through group work in the classroom, a field trip is planned for the participants. ‘ They will visit these systems, carry out their maintenance in the presence of
trainers who will guide them towards good techniques and good practices in terms of management and maintenance ,’ announced Aboubakar Minougou.

For him, these different phases of improvement for the maintenance of photovoltaic solar infrastructures are crucial.

‘ It is true that the quality of the equipment comes first but regardless of this quality if the installed system is not properly maintained, properly known to the technician who is involved in its maintenance and management, it will not be able to achieve the expected duration life ,’ argued Mr. Minougou. He adds that in addition to the training, to enable participants to effectively carry out their task in their respective municipalities, minimum maintenance equipment will be given to them.

The president of the special delegation of the commune of Tiébélé, Aimé Gué, welcomed the holding of the session which will allow the participants, according to him, to contribute to ensuring the profitability of energy infrastructures, avoid production losses
and support the government in its energy policy aimed at promoting the productive use of energy sources including solar pumping technology.

In addition to supporting communities, Bassourou Boyla said he hoped that the expertise acquired could financially benefit individual beneficiaries.

‘ We encourage them to be able to set up on their own, to go as far as creating micro-enterprises based on solar systems ,’ confided the LOGMe project manager to the IUCN.

Funded by the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security through the Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the LOGMe project aims to make a significant and sustainable contribution to the restoration of landscapes in the Sahel while creating income-generating opportunities for local communities.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

The High Commissioner of the province of Léraba, Mahamadi Congo, chaired on Tuesday May 21, 2024 in Sindou, the meeting to designate two (02) representatives of the active forces of Léraba, who will participate in the choice of two (02) representatives on behalf of the Cascades region in Banfora, for the national meetings scheduled for May 25 to 26, 2024 in Ouagadougou.

As part of the preparation of the national meetings planned to be held on May 25 and 26, 2024 in Ouagadougou with a view to decide on the follow-up to be given to the Transition, the duration of which set by the Charter of October 14 , 2022 runs until July 1 2024, the participation of two (02) representatives per region is planned.

The High Commissioner of the province of Léraba, Mahamadi Congo, after explaining the purpose of the meeting, asked the participants to organize themselves and choose the people in whom they placed their trust, capable of defending their opinion on the continuation concerning the end of the Transition in Burkina F
aso.

He instructed his secretary general, Yéonviel Somé, to wait until the end of the choice made by the participants and give the closing remarks.

The forces came together and made their choice.

Given that the two choices, titular and substitute, did not represent the final choice for Ouagadougou, the notable chiefs of Léraba as well as the customary and religious authorities of the said province, after having asked the volunteers several times to present themselves without following- up, proposed the provincial director of primary and non-formal preschool education of Léraba, Souro Sanon, and the one in charge of post-primary and secondary education, Mamadou Koné.

For them, this choice emanates from their deep confidence that Léraba will be able to erect a place the next day, Wednesday May 22, 2024 in Banfora, to be represented in Ouagadougou and validly defend the will of the population of Léraba.

It should be noted that the wise men who made this proposal then stimulated the support of the two people
chosen by verbal requests.

At the end of these choices made, the active forces or their representatives agreed on a message to defend once in Ouagadougou: “Without a vote, the Transition government can continue to pursue its objective and this, for an optimal period of five (05) years’.

Yéonviel Somé congratulated the humility shown by the strong forces of Léraba.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

The High Commissioner of the Nahouri province, Auguste Kinda, officially launched, on May 21, 2024 in Walem, in the commune of Guiaro (Nahouri province), a free campaign for the production of identification documents for the benefit of the eco-guards of the Pô-Nazinga-Sissili forest complex (PONASI) and the vulnerable populations of the communes of Pô and Guiaro. The initiative is from the NGO ‘Guardian Angels of Nature (AGN)’ in collaboration with the National Identification Office (ONI).

Produce professional cards for the eco-guards of the Pô-Nazinga-Sissili forest complex (PONASI), more than five hundred (500) Burkinabè National Identity Cards (CNIB) and more than a thousand (1000) birth certificates for the populations vulnerable people and internally displaced people in the intervention zone of the ‘PONASI UE 2’ and ‘Resilient Communities’ projects, which include the municipalities of Pô and Guiaro, this is the objective set by those responsible for the NGO ‘the Guardian Angels of Nature (AGN )’.

The c
ampaign is part of the implementation of the ‘PONASI UE 2’ and ‘Resilient Communities’ projects which benefit from financial support from the European Union, the executive director of the NGO said on Tuesday. AGN Benjamin Bassono, on the occasion of the official launching ceremony chaired by the High Commissioner of the Nahouri province, Auguste Kinda.

According to Mr. Bassono, the operation initiated will allow better identification of eco-guards and will relieve the populations of the intervention zone of the ‘PONASI UE 2’ project by allowing them to obtain valuable documents such as birth certificates and Burkinabè National Identity Cards (CNIB).

The PONASI forest complex is made up of all the areas of the Kabore Tambi National Park (PNKT), the Nazinga Game Ranch (RGN), the Sissili Reserved Forest, the PNKT-RGN corridor, the PNKT-classified forests corridor of the Red Volta (Ghana), the Village Areas of Hunting Interest (ZOVIC) and the adjoining village lands of these forest massifs or areas of specific
interest.

The issuance of professional cards to eco-guards, according to Mr. Bassono, will enable them to carry out their missions of securing these forest areas on the one hand and, on the other hand, to fight against insecurity.

The High Commissioner of the Nahouri province, Auguste Kinda, praised the officials of the NGO AGN for the initiative.

It comes, he says, to remove a big thorn in the feet of the populations, especially the internally displaced.

Continuing, Mr. Kinda maintained that it will also allow each eco-guard to be equipped with a modern, reliable professional card and for all civilian personnel engaged in the fight against poaching and insecurity to be properly identified.

For the effective implementation of the operation, the NGO AGN also benefited from the technical support of the National Identification Office (ONI) and the departmental courts.

The ‘PONASI UE 2’ and ‘Resilient Communities’ projects were launched in March 2023. ‘PONASI UE 2’ aims to reduce the vulnerability of the PO
NASI complex, support the improvement of the natural capital of the complex and increase the resilience of local communities residents. As for the ‘Resilient Communities’ project, it aims, among other things, to strengthen social cohesion and social organization, the development of income-generating activities and the establishment of social safety nets within the forest complex.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

As part of the agricultural intensification project, the Houndé Gold Operation (HGO) mine, a subsidiary of the Endeavor mining group, offered 127.31 tonnes of agricultural inputs to 271 people affected in Kari by its mining projects, on Friday May 17, 2024 in Houndé, in the province of Tuy.

The Houndé Gold Operation (HGO) mine has respected its commitment to distribute agricultural inputs for the 2024-2025 agricultural season to the populations impacted by its mining projects in Kari.

In fact, it delivered 121.31 tonnes (t) of inputs to 271 affected people on Friday May 17, 2024 in Houndé.

With a total cost of 82,091,500 CFA francs, these inputs consist of 83.5 t of NPK, 29.5 t of urea and 14.31 t of improved seeds.

The handover took place during a ceremony chaired by the Secretary General of the Province (SGP) of Tuy, Bassidiki Ouattara, representing the high commissioner.

According to HGO’s director of social performance, Nassé Ouédraogo, representing the general director of HGO, this donation is part
of the Livelihood Restoration Program (PRMS) aimed at supporting people affected by mine projects.

According to him, the Kari extension projects (Pump, Center and West) have impacted more than three thousand hectares of arable land.

‘It is to support the affected communities that the agricultural intensification project was initiated through the PRMS to support them for three years,’ he added.

The objective, he indicated, is to improve the level of productivity, but also the standard of living of the affected populations.

‘We expect beneficiaries to use these seeds efficiently. And this is why we have set up the Livelihood Restoration Program Monitoring Committee to ensure that the inputs we give to the affected populations will be used as appropriate to achieve appreciable output, and improve their living conditions,’ explained HGO’s director of social performance.

The representative of the beneficiaries, Karafa Bahan, thanked the mine for the inputs received which, according to him, will help facilitat
e production and increase agricultural yields.

Through his voice, the beneficiaries promised good use of inputs. Same feeling of joy among the President of the special municipal delegation (PDS) of Houndé, Souleymane Dianda, also president of the monitoring committee.

The PDS said it was satisfied with the consideration of one of the monitoring committee’s grievances, which is the timely distribution of inputs to producers to enable them to produce as quickly as possible.

‘Last year (editor’s note 2023-2024 Campaign), the distribution was made in June, but this year it is done in May. This will enable production in a timely manner,’ he said.

Just like the director of social performance of HGO, the president of the special delegation of Houndé also hoped that the beneficiaries would make good use of the inputs received.

‘We hope that they can use them by following the advice of agricultural technicians in order to improve their yields to have enough to feed their families,’ said Souleymane Dianda.

For hi
s part, the SGP of Tuy, Bassidiki Ouattara, was delighted to know that HGO respected its commitments to people affected by mining projects.

He thus congratulated the mine for this fertilizer and improved seeds distribution operation which, according to him, is in line with the government’s objective which is to fight against food insecurity.

Mr. Ouattara urged beneficiaries to rationally use inputs to hope for good results during the agricultural season.

Source: Burkina Information Agency