Ouagadougou: Municipal authorities commended the dedication of the agricultural Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) of the 3rd cohort during a meeting held on Friday, June 12, at the Dolo town hall. The prefect, president of the special delegation (PDS) of the municipality, acknowledged the volunteers' efforts towards agricultural development and food security.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the meeting convened the newly trained agricultural VDPs, technical service heads, and local administrative authorities. The PDS, accompanied by the head of the Technical Support Zone in Agriculture (ZATA), lauded the volunteers for their determination and patriotism. This training initiative is designed to bolster rural producers' capacities and enhance the agricultural sector's performance.
The PDS emphasized that agricultural VDPs now serve as key conduits for spreading effective agricultural practices within communities. He encouraged them to leverage their skills for community service to contribute towards national food sovereignty goals. Representing his peers, volunteer Boukayi Camille Dabir© expressed gratitude to the authorities and mentors for their support during the training. Dabir© reiterated their commitment to serving the community and sharing acquired knowledge to boost agricultural yields.
Chief ZATA called on the volunteers to exemplify discipline, responsibility, and innovation in their communities. He urged them to apply learned lessons to promote sustainable agricultural development. A notable moment of the event was the awarding of a trophy to Boukayi Camille Dabir©, recognized as the best male agricultural VDP of his cohort. This recognition, as noted by participants, honors both his individual achievements and the entire municipality of Dolo.
Nationally, the third cohort of agricultural VDPs trained 2,610 volunteers, including 376 women, with Dolo contributing ten participants. This brings the total number of trained agricultural VDPs in Dolo to 37, up from 27 in the first cohort. During the meeting, Ren© Dabir©, head of the Departmental Water and Forestry Service, invited the volunteers to engage actively in National Tree Day on June 20th. He highlighted the importance of tree planting and protection to preserve the environment and bolster community resilience against climate change.
Through this engagement, municipal authorities reiterated their commitment to supporting initiatives that enhance producers' capacities, aiming for sustainable agricultural development benefiting the people of Dolo.