Professionalization of Agro-Input Dealers of Burkina Faso

PRODIBAGRAThe Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) seeks to ensure food security and prosperity in Africa by promoting rapid and sustainable growth of an agriculture powered by small farmers. AGRA ensures that smallholders have what they need to succeed: good seeds, healthy soils and sound policies, by providing comprehensive support, market access, information, financing, storage and transport facilities as well as favorable policies. AGRA’s headquarters is based in Nairobi, Kenya

(www.agra-alliance.org).

IFDCIFDC is a public international organization founded in 1974 to increase sustainable agricultural productivity for millions in the developing world through the development and transfer of effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient technology and agricultural marketing expertise. IFDC’s results-oriented projects cover specialties such as crop nutrient management, agribusiness, engineering and technology development, management information systems, policy reform and market development. IFDC is governed by an international board of directors with representation from developed and developing nations (www.ifdc.org).

AGRODIAThe Association of Wholesalers and Retailers of Agricultural Inputs in Burkina Faso (AGRODIA) was created on May 7, 2004 by 52 dealers from several provinces. It has been recognized officially under the voucher receipt dated October 13, 2004 2004-579/MATD/DGLPAP/DOSOC. Its mission is to promote the interests of agro-input wholesalers and distributors with a view to improving their living and working conditions through information, training and lobbying. It now has 438 members spread across the country.

About the strategic actors of the project

boosting agricultural input supply in

Burkina Faso

The development of the agricultural inputs sector in Burkina Faso is facing many constraints including: (i) a non-conducive environment; (ii) inadequate human capital (lack of expertise in marketing and technology among dealers and the absence of qualified agro-dealers in rural areas); (iii) limited access to finance and market information; (iv) poor enforcement of regulations; and (v) insufficient support for measures for technology transfer.

In addition to these constraints, there are other challenges because Burkina Faso is landlocked – thereby increasing the transportation costs to import agro-inputs. The country also receives inadequate rainfall and there are nutrient-depleted soils throughout much of the country. Furthermore, because the national government is disengaging from the current agro-input supply and distribution systems, the availability and accessibility of agricultural inputs to farmers cannot be ensured.

The efforts of the Burkinabe government to develop the agricultural sector – including the inputs sector – are laudable. However, the government’s efforts alone are not enough to stimulate an increased supply and use of modern inputs such as improved seeds, mineral fertilizers and pesticides throughout the country. Indeed, problems related to the quality and quantity of agro-inputs continue to arise each year unabated.

The Professionalization of Agro-Input Dealers of Burkina Faso project (PRODIB) seeks to support national efforts to improve food security and fight poverty under the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

The PRODIB project aims to increase agricultural productivity by 15 percent compared to the yield level of staple crops and to increase the incomes of 375,000 smallholder farmers in Burkina Faso. To achieve this, the availability, access and financial sustainability of quality agricultural inputs in rural areas must be improved.

The PRODIB project’s specific activities seek to:

Strengthen the capacity of agricultural input dealers to create business links with input suppliers, and to improve their product

knowledge, marketing, agricultural extension and business arrangements. Due to lack of information and knowledge, dealers often operate on an informal basis with practices that limit the effectiveness and sustainability of services they provide to their farmer-customers.

Facilitate the strengthening of associations of agro-input dealers and the creation of trade links between institutions and

the private sector in the field of agricultural inputs. PRODIB wants to promote the development of the Association of Wholesalers and Retailers of Agricultural Inputs (AGRODIA) by providing organizational tools to attract, retain and render better services to members. PRODIB will also help AGRODIA to generate income to ensure its financial self-sufficiency and sustainability.

Facilitate access to credit for agro-input dealers in order to develop their businesses. The difficulty of financing

inventory purchases is a major constraint hindering the business plans of many agro-dealers. PRODIB wants to facilitate agro-dealers’ access to credit from financial institutions through loan guarantee programs and mechanisms for risk-sharing.

Accelerate the transfer of technologies and best farm practices by agricultural input dealers to farmers through training,

advice and demonstrations. PRODIB will provide group training to agro-dealers on methods to better serve their farmer-customers such as on-farm trials, soil testing and other means of technology transfer.

Facilitate favorable input policies and regulations through advocacy and technical support. PRODIB aims to assist

the Government of Burkina Faso by promoting the adoption and implementation of regulatory frameworks conducive to the development of markets for seeds, fertilizers and crop protection products in the country.

Develop and implement a participatory management, monitoring and evaluation program to measure the progress of

activities, impact indicators and the final impact of the project. The ultimate outcome of PRODIB is continuity of activities by AGRODIA.

The PRODIB project is a three-year program (2010-2012) which is implemented by IFDC in partnership with AGRODIA. It is funded by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

The project also draws on the experience and achieve-ments of IFDC programs and projects already working in the agricultural input sector in Burkina Faso. These include the Natural Resource Management program, the Thousands to Millions (1000s+) project, Marketing Inputs Regionally Plus project (MIR+), the Mainstreaming Pro-Poor Fertilizer Access and Innovative Practices in West Africa project, the West Africa Cotton Improvement project (WACIP) and the Fertilizer and Sustainable Agricultural Development project (F&SAD).

The PRODIB project will also work in close collaboration with those public and private sector entities in Burkina Faso involved in improving farmers’ access to modern inputs and more productive technologies. It seeks to complement and support, but not to duplicate the efforts of these entities.

Email : dbassole@ifdc.org

IFDC Burkina Faso 11 B.P. 82 Ouaga 11 – Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Tel : +226 50 48 35 01/ 50 37 45 05 / 08 Fax : +226 50 37 49 69 Email : ifdcburkina@ifdc.org

context Goals & objectives

Project contacts

Financing & implementation strategy

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