Soum: The National Food Security Stock Management Company (SONAGESS) launched an innovative rice collection operation directly from producers in the village of Soum on Thursday. This initiative, welcomed by farmers, was made possible through a strategic partnership with Sank Money, a mobile payment and money transfer application.

According to Burkina Information Agency, Sank Money's intervention played a crucial role in ensuring immediate and secure payment for harvests, marking a significant step forward for the financial inclusion of rural producers. SONAGESS Director General St©phane Gildas Tiendrebeogo highlighted the dual benefits of this approach. On the one hand, it helps strengthen the national grain stockpile, which is essential to the country's food security. On the other, it inaugurates a new "farm-side collection" process, which involves purchasing products directly from farmers, either at their production sites or at dedicated collection points.

This approach is part of the reform of SONAGESS and the dynamics of the agro-pastoral and fishing offensive, as well as the presidential initiative for agricultural production. For producers, this method offers a guaranteed outlet, encouraging them to produce more. "Buying their rice already guarantees them an outlet for their production. Guaranteeing this outlet encourages them to produce even more," the general manager said.

This transparency and immediacy are particularly appreciated, as they respond to the pressing need of farmers to quickly monetize their harvests to meet their needs. The process is clear: after checking the quality and weighing the rice, a price negotiated upstream is applied, and the producer receives payment instantly via Sank Money.

Sank Money's presence is central to this new approach. The group's Communications and Marketing Director highlighted the social impact of this partnership: "Our presence today marks a partnership with a strong social impact. Sank Money supports SONAGESS in purchasing food from local farmers, with the aim of supporting the most vulnerable." Designed by and for the Burkinabe, the Sank Money app ensures a smooth and immediate transaction. As soon as the receipt slip is signed by SONAGESS, the farmer goes to a Sank Money agent to receive payment for their harvest. This speed is a major advantage, as confirmed by Guiguemd© Fr©d©ric, a satisfied producer: "I sent out 6 bags and the total was 615 kilos and I received 110,700 francs and that's what I received right away."

Beyond instant payment, Sank Money has also set up a 'Sank-suite' in the Soum Valley. This service point will allow farmers to withdraw funds, make transfers, and make other payments with complete peace of mind and security. This local infrastructure strengthens the accessibility of financial services for rural communities and promotes inclusive development.

Soum's producers expressed their immense satisfaction. Guiguemd© Fr©d©ric welcomed the initiative and expressed the hope that SONAGESS would return "every time we produce," emphasizing that this was a first. He also emphasized the importance of this operation to prevent speculation on their products and to enable them to source inputs for the next season.

The head of the Soum irrigation scheme, Ousmane Zerbo, confirmed the success of local production, with very satisfactory yields. The excess production has even led the producers themselves to request the intervention of SONAGESS, due to a lack of sufficient storage facilities.

This direct collection approach, facilitated by Sank Money, allows SONAGESS to acquire grain at prices "free of intermediation costs." This guarantees producers a decent return and allows SONAGESS to build up stocks at more attractive costs. These "low" collection prices will ultimately have a positive impact on market regulation and inflation control, by enabling the injection of basic necessities at affordable prices for the population.

The rice collection operation in Soum, with the successful integration of Sank Money, demonstrates SONAGESS's commitment to food security and supporting producers, while illustrating the potential of mobile payment solutions for the economic inclusion of rural communities in Burkina Faso.