Read-out of the FAO Director-General’s meeting with H.E. Aboubacar Nacanabo, Minister for Economy, Finance and Development, and H.E. Dénis Ouédraogo, Minister for Agriculture, Animal and Fisheries Resources, of Burkina Faso

Rome - Director-General QU Dongyu and H.E. Dr Aboubacar Nacanabo, Minister for Economy, Finance and Development, and H.E. Dénis Ouédraogo, Minister for Agriculture, Animal and Fisheries Resources, of Burkina Faso met on 14 February.

The Ministers conveyed Burkina Faso’s appreciation for FAO’s support to the country, noting the Hand-in-Hand Initiative launched with initial geospatial data modeled for the country. The two proceeded to share with the Director-General the country’s plans to support increased production under the National Development Policy, and specifically the recently adopted Action Plan for Stabilization and Development 2023-2025. They emphasized the need to boost and enhance investment in agrifood systems transformation, rural development and scaling up agricultural innovation.

The Director-General reiterated his commitment to support Burkina Faso in agrifood systems transformation and underlined South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) as a key avenue through which agrifood industries and value chains can be further developed and supported in the country, while also stressing those linkages with the private sector and others through the Hand-in-Hand initiative to attract targeted action and private investment that will stimulate agrifood systems transformation.

The Director-General outlined three key components where Burkina Faso’s agrifood systems should also focus, namely: food processing, utilization of appropriate seed varieties and improved agricultural infrastructures including irrigation systems and cold chain capacity.

The three also agreed on the need for capacity development of smallholder farmers, and farmer field schools were identified as solution. Finally, they touched upon the importance of promoting subsector or products that will in turn improve value chains and create jobs for youth and women.