Launching workshop of the RBA joint project’s activities in Burkina Faso

OUAGADOUGOU – On 19 May 2015 the launching workshop of the RBA joint project’ technical activities, FAO, IFAD, and WFP, “Mainstreaming food loss reduction initiatives for smallholders in food deficit areas” was held in the conference room of the Pacific Hotel in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. This workshop organized by the Department of crops production, in collaboration with RBA’s partners, was chaired by Mr Mamadou COULIBALY, research analyst by the general secretariat of the Ministry of agriculture, water  resources, sanitation and food security (French acronym MARHASA) on behalf of the Secretary General. The workshop was actually attended by representatives of the different technical structures, representatives of producers’ organizations and associations, the National Institute of Environment and Agricultural Research, resource persons, UN Rome-based agencies.  

The global objective of this workshop was to mobilize actors at national level for a successful implementation of the joint project, which aims at reducing food losses. To achieve this global objective the organizers have specifically: 1) presented the global joint project with activities to be implemented in Burkina Faso, Uganda and DRC, and the Community of Practice (CoP); 2) presented the work plan and budget the activities in Burkina Faso; 3) shared knowledge, expertise and lessons learnt from the implementation of the micro-projects undertaken by the Project for supporting the promotion of agro-chains (French acronym PROFIL) financed by IFAD in Burkina Faso; and 4) informed participants about the content of the Malabo Declaration.

The FAO Representative in Burkina Faso, Mr Aristide Ongone Obame in his opening speech on behalf of the RBA expressed gratitude to the Government of Burkina Faso for the usual collaboration and kind attention manifested for them. Then, he has informed participants about the relevance of food loss and waste sharing some global figures on which this joint initiative of the UN RBA is based. In the particular case of Burkina Faso, he has mentioned that the activities of the joint project will be implemented in the regions of the Boucle du Mouhoun, Hauts-Bassins, Cascades, Centre-West, Centre-North, East, North and Sahel; and the agricultural products targeted by the project are maize, sorghum and cowpea.

Mr Mamadou COULIBALY, representing the MARHASA Secretary General, gave an opening speech. He indicated that the pertinence of this joint project does not need to be demonstrated in the agricultural context of Burkina Faso and that the authorities of MARHASA will fully support its implementation. He concluded by calling all participants to contribute with their expertise and knowledge in the food loss reduction domain in order to fully achieve the objectives of the workshop.  

Mr Dieudonné OUEDRAOGO, national focal point of the joint project for Burkina Faso, recalled in his presentation how this project is coherent with the agricultural strategies and policies of the country, as well as the links with other projects and programmes at national and regional levels.

Photos of the workshop can be accessed at the following Flickr album.