In order to sustainably strengthen the resilience of agroforestry households to the effects of climate change, the project “Strengthening the community resilience of agroforestry households in the Boucle du Mouhoun, du Nord et du Centre-Nord (RESICOM)” supports producers in Water and Soil Conservation / Soil Defense and Restoration (CES/DRS) actions through the construction of three-stone stone cordons, zaï, half-moons, the construction of Bassins de Collecte des Eaux de Ruissèlement (BCER), the development of rice-growing lowlands, reforestation, large-scale mechanized recovery, and the promotion of agroecology. Here are a few producers who have seen changes in their daily lives thanks to the project’s support.
Lassané OUEDRAOGO owns a 15-hectare plot of land that has been degraded and abandoned for over 50 years. Under the RESICOM project, 06 hectares of the 15 hectares of degraded land were reclaimed by the delfino plough. On the reclaimed land, he planted 350 trees of various species, including neré, karite, baobab and mango.
“50 years ago, our grandparents farmed on this land, where we found many trees that have disappeared over time due to climate change. My ambition is to grow back several species of trees for consumption needs, health care and to resume agricultural production to combat food insecurity in our locality. The RESICOM project has reinforced this ambition through mechanized recovery using the delfino plough. I’m going to give it my all to achieve my ambition and set an example for others,” he confides.
In addition to the trees planted, part of this space reclaimed thanks to the delfino plow and zaï has been used as an agricultural crop field for 04 PDIs in the village of Pourra, during the 2023-2024 agricultural season.
“Due to insecurity in our home village of Malgtaaba (Kongoussi), I’ve had to move to Pourra for the past 02 years. The first year I had difficulty feeding my family of 04 (my wife and 03 children) because I didn’t take anything with me from my home village and when I arrived in Pourra, I didn’t have any land to cultivate. This year, thanks to the goodwill of Mr. Lassané OUEDRAOGO, the landowner, I was able to grow sorghum and cowpeas on 02 hectares of land reclaimed by the delfino plough and the zaï. I was able to harvest (around 300 kg of cowpeas and 900 kg of sorghum) which I now use to feed my family”, testifies Ousseni SAWADOGO, an IDP from the village of Malgtaaba (Kongoussi).
“I’m Boureima SAWADOGO, a farmer and seed producer in the village of Pourra (Rambo commune, northern region). With the support of the RESICOM project, I have recovered 05 hectares of degraded land. This degraded land, covering some 20 hectares, had been abandoned for many years. Thanks to the development of half-moons, for the 2023-2024 agricultural season, I produced rice and small millet there and was able to harvest 04 tons of rice and 02 tons of small millet. Before this land was reclaimed, I grew rice in a lowland of 03 hectares, but my production didn’t exceed 950 kg (less than 01 tonne). Since the 05 hectares of degraded land were reclaimed, I’m in my second year of production. This year, out of the 04 tonnes of rice seed harvested, I’ve already sold 1 tonne at 750,000 FCFA. I’m satisfied with this result and my ambition is to gradually recover all 20 hectares to ensure food security for my family and future generations.”
Boureima SAWADOGO in his field of rice and small millet planted with half-moons
Boureima SAWADOGO in his cereal seed storage warehouse: rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts
IN RECALL: “To contribute to the sustainable strengthening of the resilience of agroforestry households, including that of internally displaced persons (IDPs), affected by the security crisis and climate change in the North, Boucle du Mouhoun and Centre-Nord regions”. This is the main objective of the RESICOM project. The project is financed by the Royal Danish Embassy and managed by the Solidar Suisse-SOS SAHEL International Burkina Faso Consortium in collaboration with the Secrétariat Exécutif Diocésain Dédougou de l’Organisation Catholique pour le Développement et la Solidarité (OCADES-Dédougou), the Fédération des Professionnels Agricoles du Burkina (FEPAB-Yatenga) and the Association Wendkouni (Boulsa), local partners. It will run from July 01, 2021 to December 31, 2025.
