Bam: The High Commissioner is overseeing the dryland wheat production campaign in Kongoussi. Accompanied by decentralized technical services, the provincial authority visited the site operated by the Neema Waya Simplified Cooperative Society for potato production in sector 4 of Kongoussi, which planted half a hectare this year in response to the call from the Ministry of Agriculture to intensify wheat production in Burkina Faso.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the president of the cooperative, Abdoulaye Sawadogo, stated that the cooperative decided to engage in wheat production out of patriotism, despite a different yield than that of crops such as carrots and tomatoes. "Our cooperative is cultivating half a hectare this year in response to an invitation from the Ministry of Agriculture, which encouraged us to produce wheat. It is true that the yield is different from that of crops like carrots and tomatoes, but, out of patriotism, we decided to invest in ensuring food sovereignty in wheat in Burkina Faso," he explained. Sawadogo expressed gratitude to the government for the initiative and the support that the cooperative is receiving from the decentralized technical services.

Mr. Ou©draogo invited Burkinabe producers to align themselves with the initiatives of the Head of State, Captain Ibrahim Traor©, aiming to ensure the country's food sovereignty. The provincial director in charge of Agriculture in Bam, Basba Yanogo, specified that in Bam, four and a half hectares were able to be sown, exclusively in the commune of Kongoussi. Yanogo noted, "The field belonging to the cooperative chaired by Mr. Abdoulaye Sawadogo is looking very good. He was very receptive and respected our advice on good practices in wheat production. Considering the field's characteristics, we estimate the yield at three tons per hectare."

High Commissioner Karim Ou©draogo congratulated the producers and technical services for their dedication. He also commended the resilience of the women, who are heavily involved in the operation of the irrigated areas. The provincial authority encouraged stakeholders to become more involved in implementing government initiatives in the agricultural sector. This is the first time that wheat has been grown in the Bam province, and many producers are waiting for its widespread adoption to boost production indicators.