The project entitled Resilience of poor and very poor populations and food security in Mouhoun (Repam) (only in French), implemented by GRET in partnership with the Federation of agricultural professionals in Burkina (Fepab) (only in French) in the Mouhoun and Nayala provinces, came to an end in 2017. Having lasted four years, the Repam project benefitted from cofunding from the European Union, the French committee for international solidarity (CFSI) (in French only) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
A final workshop marking the end of the project was organised in Dédougou in October 2017, in order to share the results obtained and the lessons drawn from this experience with the various stakeholders in the zone of intervention. Placed under the auspices of the governor of the region, the workshop brought together representatives from public services, NGOs, associations, farmers’ organisations, partners (Fepab, and provincial unions in Mouhoun and Nayala, Cirad) and project beneficiaries.
The presentations made by the project team on the activities conducted in the various areas (agriculture, livestock farming, processing, nutrition) and by Cirad on monitoring of resilience, demonstrate that the expected results were indeed achieved. Support to poor and very poor households – provided as part of the project – enabled several families to break free from the vicious circle of food insecurity and, to a lesser degree, from poverty and malnutrition. The decrease in the hunger gap and the capacity to cope with school and health care costs are proof of this evolution.
In terms of support to agri-food processing groups, notable progress was observed in organisation, procedures, hygiene, commercial promotion and turnover. However, mechanisms for individual remuneration of members should be reviewed to enable better distribution of profits.
Nutrition was the backbone of the project. The action consisted of using various channels of communication to raise the awareness of populations in the zone of intervention on best feeding practices for infants and small children, lactating women and households. The participants praised the quality of work conducted by the project in this area. Its inclusion in commonly conducted activities supporting populations is perceived as an innovation likely to encourage changes in behaviour.
At the end of the workshop, the participants praised the project’s contribution to the development of the Mouhoun Loop region and expressed their wish for GRET to continue its work in the zone.
