Burkina Faso

Country Situation

Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. The country's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries.

Sources

¹ The World Bank: Key Development Data & Statistics http://go.worldbank.org/1SF48T40L0; data for 2006, unless stated.

² CIA: The World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/; data for 2008, unless stated.

³ OECD: OECD.Stat Extracts http://webnet.oecd.org/wbos/index.aspx; data for 2006, unless stated.

⁴ UNDP: Human Development Report 2007/2008 http://hdr.undp.org/en/; data for 2005, unless stated.

TaiwanICDF Operations in Burkina Faso

The TaiwanICDF presently has one technical mission in Burkina Faso run by 10 mission members, one medical mission with five members, two technical assistance projects and one investment and lending project.

Technical Mission

Bagre Right Bank Farmland Reclamation Project
This project is developing 1,200 hectares of land through reclamation and irrigation engineering on the right bank of the Nakambe river. The technical mission has also provided assistance in farmer training, in rice cultivation and extension, and in creating core production and marketing teams. In 2004, the mission built 900m of main ditches and 600m of concrete branch ditches, 1,400m of drainage ditches, two divider boxes, one bridge, and a 2,200m feeder road. The mission also assisted in cultivating 1,200 ha of existing fields.

Upland Rice Cultivation Extension Project
The technical mission is developing 1,800 hectares of farmland. In cooperation with the Burkina Faso Ministry of Agriculture, upland rice cultivation is now being extended to 4,200 ha. In 2004, the mission built 2,000 m of main ditches, 12,800 m of cofferdam road, 11 divider boxes, and 34,400 m of feeder road. Technical assistance in rice extension was provided to farmers on 840 ha.

Medical Mission

The medical mission is providing services at Friendship Hospital, offering knowledge and technology transfers to boost the medical standards of the hospital. In 2004, the hospital assisted approximately 6,450 patients in internal medicine, gynecology, obstetrics, anesthetics and surgery. Regular and irregular outreach medical services were provided, and a free service program has been conducted every two months in eight villages near Ougadougou. Conferences and medical training courses are also being coordinated to develop human resources at Friendship Hospital.

Technical Assistance

Food Processing Project
This project is assisting in the development of the food processing industry by providing technology to improve processing, extend the shelf life of agricultural products, and increase the added value of farm goods.

Biomass Application Research and Demonstration Project
The TaiwanICDF is helping farmers utilize green manure and biomass (plant materials and animal waste), reduce production costs, raise output and achieve environmental sustainability.

Investment and Lending

Rural Credit Project
This project is providing loans to farmers and women to improve business activities increase local employment and reduce rural poverty. The allocation of the loan is as follows: (1) US$500,000 is being disbursed to women's groups and; (2) US$2 million is being used to finance livestock procurement, agricultural equipment and plantation related materials.