Healthy, locally produced vegetables will soon be part of markets and meals in the West African country.

The main actors of the market gardening sector in Burkina Faso joined with international and regional horticulture experts to plan activities and work packages for the SAFEVEG West Africa project on Thursday, 15 July 2021 in Ouagadougou.

The project, which fosters the safe production of healthy vegetables in urban and peri-urban areas of Burkina Faso, Benin, and Mali, and aims to increase consumption through increasing supplies of quality vegetables and building consumer trust in the food system, began operations in February 2021. Implementation in Burkina Faso has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sustainable market gardening deserves greater attention from governments. The safe production of nutrient-rich vegetables and other plant foods in and around cities can help alleviate malnutrition among urban dwellers while providing employment and income-generating opportunities, particularly for women and young people.

A pool of national and international partners ready to join hands to meet major challenges

Partners in the SAFEVEG initiative include the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands, the Center for International Cooperation in Agronomic Research for Development (CIRAD) in France, the Institute for the Environment and Agricultural Research (INERA) in Burkina Faso, the National Institute of Agronomic Research of Benin (INRAB), the Institute of Rural Economy of Mali (IER), and the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg). SAFEVEG is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Commission.

During the technical planning meeting, the group set out guidelines for research, the selection of vegetable varieties resilient to climate change, the popularization of sustainable agricultural and postharvest practices, and the use of more efficient technologies—all of which will have a positive impact on the market gardening sector in Burkina Faso in the medium and long term.

SAFEVEG aims to improve the food supply of around 75,000 people and to develop 2,500 hectares of market gardens managed with regenerative methods designed to protect the environment and nourish the soil in the three countries. It’s expected about 10,000 small-scale vegetable producers will be trained and 200,000 others provided with improved seeds. Through SAFEVEG Vegetable Business Networks, about 5,500 producers and marketers will build commercial linkages to support a thriving vegetable sector capable of providing fresh and processed produce consumers can purchase with confidence.

Several dozen master’s and Ph.D. students will carry out their studies through SAFEVEG, contributing to knowledge and seeking ways to advancing sustainable practices informed by research.

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