Plant breeding programs in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa. Its economy is largely agricultural; 86% of the population is involved in it and this sector represents 30 to 40% of the GDP. Its climate is tropical, with a very long dry season going from November to May. This is the major constraint of Burkina Faso’s agricultural production, which is essentially rainfed. Predominant crops are cereals (sorghum, millet, maize, rice, fonio), cash crops (cotton, groundnut, cowpea, sugarcane), roots and tubers crops (cassava, sweet potato, yam), fruits and vegetables.
Agricultural research activities began in Burkina Faso in 1959 with rice. Only five institutions at the national level deal with plant breeding and biotechnology; four of them are public. The scientists involved in this work are well-trained thanks to two public universities.
Their main objective is to develop extra early material for agricultural conditions with low rainfall and fertility constraints. Remaining the main staple food crop in Burkina Faso, cereals (mainly maize, sorghum and millet) are considered as priority and have the highest percentage allocation of resources.
Nowadays, the research activities are decreasing due to the lack of funds. Another limiting aspect for the success of the breeding programs is the inadequate number of breeders for each crop. The private institute also complained about the “limited access to international genetic resources” because germplasm with resistance to pests and diseases is usually found in the international gene banks.
Research and education institutes with activities in plant breeding
Public Institutes
Environmental and Agricultural Research Institute - Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA)
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National Centre of Forest Seeds - Centre National des Semences Forestières (CNSF)
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University of Ouagadoudou - Université de Ouagadoudou (UO)
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Polytechnique University of Bobo Dioulasso – Université Polytechnique de Bobo Dioulasso (UPB)
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Private Institutes
Sugar Cane National Society of Comoé - Société nationale sucrière de la Comoé (SN SOSUCO)
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Information by Drissa Hema (2008) - Information based on the Burkina Faso's full report from the PBBC survey. Last revised 28-08-2009, GIPB