Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Adin Yéton Bloukounon Goubalan conducted an extensive nationwide assessment tour across key production zones from September 9 to 12, 2026, evaluating crop conditions for the 2026-2027 agricultural campaign.
Traveling through major agricultural hubs including Banikoara, Sinendé, Djougou, and Glazoué, the ministerial delegation observed widespread land utilization across cotton, maize, soybean, and rice fields. During a field visit to a 50-hectare diversified farm in Banikoara, the minister commended the integration of crop residue and livestock organic matter to preserve soil fertility, while farmers raised ongoing operational challenges regarding irregular rainfall, limited farm mechanization, seed quality, and market access constraints.
To counter climate vulnerabilities and soil degradation, the government announced strategic interventions designed to modernize agricultural production and protect farmer livelihoods. Minister Goubalan highlighted a flagship project to construct one million water retention tanks across cotton-producing regions to mitigate mid-season droughts, alongside plans to scale up ionizing biofertilizers to boost root nutrient uptake. The broader modernization strategy encompasses digital AI advisory tools, subsidized fertilizers, surplus crop purchasing guarantees through SODAPA, and an incentive bonus of CFA 10 per kilogram for seed cotton if national output reaches the 700,000-tonne milestone by the end of the season.
TE/lb/abj/APA