Abidjan, March 20, 2024 – Let's dig into the Agro-industrial Pole Project, or the agropole project. This big idea is part of the Ivory Coast's National Agricultural Investment Program (PNIA 2). Big goals here, folks! We're talking about making sure everyone has enough to eat, reducing how much food we bring in from outside, and getting more of our awesome agricultural products out to the world. Agropoles are all about setting up a super-organized system for growing, selling, storing, and getting our target crops to market.
Comoé Kini Bernard, the Director General of Planning, Statistics and Projects at the Ministry of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Production broke down the advantages of this system for us at the Government Information and Communication Center (CICG) "Tout Savoir Sur” forum.
Ivory Coast Agropole Project: Improving Food Supply
First up, agropoles help farmers get their hands on the latest and greatest in farming tech. We're talking better machinery, top-notch fertilizers, and seeds that are built to handle our climate. This is how we get more food out of the ground, plain and simple.
Ivory Coast Agropole Project: Attracting Investment and Processing Power
The agropole project doesn't just help farmers produce more. It's about building up processing hubs where we can turn our raw crops into value-added products. This means things like getting storage set up, building wholesale markets, and making it easier to transport our goods in bulk.
It also aims to attract serious investment from the private sector. Because when businesses see potential, they bring in the cash to help things grow!
Ivory Coast Agropole Project: Infrastructure is Key
We can't have a thriving agricultural sector without the right infrastructure. With agropoles, we're seeing investment in essential things like electricity, water, good roads, and even better internet out in rural areas. This makes life easier for farmers and connects them better to markets.
Ivory Coast Agropole Project: Target Crops
Let's talk specifics! Agropoles are focused on key crops where we shine: yam, cassava, rice, coffee-cocoa, cashews, mango, those delicious market garden veggies, shea, meat, and aquaculture.
Ivory Coast Agropole Project: Progress So Far
Our country is aiming to set up nine agropoles in total. Right now, we've got the Bélier Agropole and the North Agropole up and running. This is a good start, and shows that this ambitious project can translate from plans to reality.
The agropole project marks a major turning point in Ivorian agriculture. It's a big investment that has the potential to transform our farms, increase our food security, and make us a major player in the global agricultural market. With continued focus and support, the benefits of the Ivory Coast agropole project can be felt by all Ivorians for years to come.
