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