The Agrifood Program for Integrated Resilience and Economic Development in the Sahel (Pro-ARIDES) was launched on behalf of Burkina Faso on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 in Ouagadougou. A sub-regional project that takes into account the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Burkina, Mali and Niger, it will last 10 years, and will be implemented in two five-year phases. Pro-ARIDES will be implemented in 24 communes in regions at high risk of insecurity.
24 communes in four regions – Boucle du Mouhoun, Centre-Ouest, Est and Nord – are benefiting from the Agrifood Program for Integrated Resilience and Economic Development in the Sahel (Pro-ARIDES).
This sub-regional project, which covers the Sudano-Sahelian strip of Burkina, Mali and Niger, aims to improve living conditions for the local population.
For this reason, the general objective formulated by the project leaders is to contribute to the resilience, food security and income of farming and agro-pastoral households in the Sudano-Sahelian zone.
This is achieved through effective decentralized institutions and organizations for improved service delivery, land and natural resource management and local economic development.
The national launch of the project took place on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 in Ouagadougou. The global launch took place in virtual mode on June 22.
A specific project
For the national coordinator of Pro-ARIDES, Didier Couldiati, the project is specific in that it is aimed directly at players in the field.
They will be made aware of the importance of safeguarding natural resources. This is essential if households are to improve their agricultural and pastoral productivity.
The coordinator stressed that young people and women are doing a remarkable job in the agro-sylvo-pastoral field.
Pro-ARIDES is run by the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) in partnership with Care Netherlands, Wageningen University and Research (WUR) and the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT).
SNV’s Country Manager for Burkina Faso and Benin, Jeanette de Regt, will provide more information on the process.
She emphasizes that local institutions and organizations are at the heart of the program’s implementation approach.
Long-term impact
Pro-ARIDES will focus on systemic change and development as a means of creating sustainable impacts.
Hence the move towards a system that is inclusive, sustainable and integrates change through the empowerment of households, women, young people and farmers’ organizations. Explained the director.
There will also be a strengthening of local businesses and farmers’ organizations, a high-performance service delivery system and increased demand for local products.
For the first five years, the program will focus on empowering institutions. It will also focus on capacity-building and confidence-building.

The development, testing and improvement of strategies and working methods will be part of the first phase.
Over the remaining five years, actions will focus on shifting and broadening approaches and interventions. Mutual learning, reinforcement of practices and knowledge management will also be promoted.
1000 beneficiary households
Modeste Yerbanga, Minister of Animal and Fisheries Resources, confided that 1,000 households will be supported thanks to Pro-ARIDES. The project is financed by the Dutch Embassy.
He expressed the hope that the project would benefit the local population. To the technical and financial partners, the Minister expressed the government’s thanks.
As a reminder, the targets of Pro-ARIDES are family farms, particularly farming and agro-pastoral households, farmers’ organizations, private service providers and small and medium-sized enterprises, local authorities and government technical services.
Trajectories of Pro-ARIDES
To achieve its objectives, the project is following five trajectories. The first is the management of food, improved farms and herds for resilient production, quoted the director.
The second is improved business, service and employment opportunities with the market, generating greater economic value.
The third trajectory is the sustainable management of land, water and natural resources.
The fourth trajectory focuses on gender and youth. Inclusion for the development of resilient food systems and institution-building for a social contract form the final trajectory.
Réné Bila Zida, President of the Conseil Régional du Nord, believes that this project will help to strengthen community capacities.
Pro-ARIDES will bring development to the localities concerned.
Nearly 100 million euros will be injected. This is equivalent to nearly 6 billion. More than 2.9 million people will be affected by the project.
Source: Frank Pougbila
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