Poa: A former student of Norbert Zongo University in Koudougou has pivoted to livestock farming as a means of achieving self-sufficiency amid the competitive nature of civil service exams.

According to Burkina Information Agency, Ousmane Kabor©, who completed a bachelor's degree in Modern Literature in 2022, faced significant challenges due to the selective nature of annual civil service exams. The long wait for potential admission prompted Kabor© to explore alternative career paths. In 2023, he made the decision to leave Koudougou for Poa and took up farming, a practice his father had traditionally used to support their family.

Kabor©'s farming venture involves raising poultry and sheep. He started by constructing two sheds and a house with a separate roof specifically for the livestock. Despite his dedication, the transition was not without hurdles. He encountered issues such as avian diseases, high chicken mortality, and challenges in caring for chicks due to temperature constraints. "After evaluation, the activity is not yet very profitable, but it at least allows me to meet my needs," he admitted.

To sustain his livestock, Kabor© utilizes agricultural residues from his own field, including peanut plants and millet stalks, primarily to feed the sheep. Addressing his peers who remain in urban centers awaiting exam results, he urged them to consider alternative opportunities. He emphasized that agriculture and livestock farming offer dignified and productive careers, quoting Voltaire's notion that "work keeps man away from three great evils: want, boredom, and vice."

Kabor© also appealed to the government to enhance support for students nearing graduation, particularly through initiatives that guide them toward agriculture and livestock projects. He highlighted the limited access to civil service jobs and stressed the need for government backing to help young graduates build sustainable futures.

While acknowledging current government efforts in the agriculture and livestock sectors, Kabor© hopes for expanded initiatives to assist graduate students, who he believes are eager to commit fully to their work.