Green Revolution in Agriculture remains the backbone of landlocked Burkina Faso employing almost 80% of the working population while contributing just under 30% to GDP centered around cotton, fruits, livestock and grains output though average land holdings under 3 hectares pose productivity challenges exacerbated by rainfall uncertainties. However, staples self-sufficiency and rural income maximization goals warrant efforts into irrigation infrastructure expanding, agrichemicals usage rationalizing and post-harvest storages gaps plugging while promoting community greenhouse farming adoption. Moreover, hospitality sectors linkage development and selective organic certification for export differentiation hold strong promise aided by preferential western access.
Burkina Faso envisions a “Green Revolution” in agriculture, aiming to transform the sector from a solitary struggle for survival to a thriving industry that can feed the nation and contribute to global food security. The country has made significant strides in this direction, with a focus on sustainable intensification and climate-smart agriculture. The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has been a key partner in this endeavor, supporting over 800 projects since 2006, including the development and delivery of better seeds, soil fertility improvement, and the expansion of market access and credit for smallholder farmers.
AGRA’s efforts have resulted in the training, financing, and equipping of 15 million African smallholder farmers, the restoration of 13 million hectares for agricultural production, and the commercialization of 562 new seed varieties. The initiative has also prioritized regenerative and biodiverse practices to protect the environment and promote sustainable agriculture. Additionally, AGRA has worked to ensure that women, who make up the majority of smallholder farmers in Africa, have access to land, appropriate technologies, and affordable finance.
The “Green Revolution” in Burkina Faso is part of a broader effort to address food security and rural poverty in Africa by leveraging agricultural development. The country’s commitment to sustainable agricultural practices and its partnership with organizations like AGRA reflect a shared vision of investing in agriculture as a means to reduce poverty and hunger in the region.
As experts assisting African agri-exporters earlier on market connectivity and quality enhancement, the agriculture consulting wing at RFC offers tailored advisory encompassing climate-resilient input usage, cooperatives incubation frameworks and supply chain digitization solutions promised to nourish national food security and unlock rural prosperity in Burkina Faso through interventions designed to directly uplift harvests and farmer welfare over the long term sustainably.
