Burkina Faso/North Central: Tabaski fair to boost sales of small ruminants and poultry

Thursday June 13, 2024 saw the start of the Tabaski 2024 fair in Kaya in the Centre-Nord region. This fair, dedicated to the sale of small ruminants and poultry, is an initiative of the Union provinciale Nebnooma des producteurs de petits ruminants du Sanmatenga with the support of USAID Yidgri, a project integral to USAID's Regional Resilience Initiative in the Sahel (RISE II).

The Tabaski fair is now in its third year in Kaya, Sanmatenga. Organized by the Nebnooma provincial union of small ruminant breeders, with support from USAID Yidgiri, the fair aims to offer players in the small ruminant and poultry value chains space for direct sales of their animals. The fair will give 750 members, including 525 women, of 75 small ruminant SCOOPS (cooperative societies) in the Sanmatenga region, the opportunity to sell at least 750 sheep, and 250 members, including 150 women, of 25 poultry SCOOPS in the Sanmatenga region, the chance to sell at least 2,500 poultry.

The fair is also an opportunity for producers to record at least 70,000,000 FCFA in sales of their products, to raise awareness of dietary and nutritional diversification among over 500 visitors and 200 exhibitors, and to enable SCOOPS to make contacts with new buyers.

According to Madi Sawadogo, President of the Union provinciale Nebnooma des producteurs de petits ruminants du Sanmatenga, the fair has barely begun, and exhibitors are already doing good business. At 1pm on June 13, 2024, nearly 330 animals had been sold, representing sales of over 26 million FCFA. Proof that over the 72 hours of the fair, exhibitors should be rubbing their hands. "The fair is off to a good start, because participants are expressing their satisfaction. Those coming from afar arrived yesterday evening. And since yesterday they've started selling. That's why we've ended up with sales of over 26 million", explains the Union president.

Resilience, despite everything...

The Minister Delegate to the Minister of Agriculture, in charge of animal resources, Dr. Amadou Dicko, who presided over the opening of the fair, paid tribute to all those involved in the Tabaski fair. In his view, the fair contributes to the resilience of livestock breeders, who have been hard hit by the security crisis that has gripped Burkina Faso in recent years.

Serge Birba, Regional Director of Agriculture, Animal Resources and Fisheries for the Centre-Nord region, agrees. "Knowing the security situation in the region, to see that livestock breeders are able to keep up such an activity is a source of comfort to us, and testifies to the resilience of these communities.the resilience of these players and the support shown by the Ministry and the authorities towards the rural world", said Mr. Birba.Birba. He was delighted by the enthusiasm of both exhibitors and the public, who came out to buy the animals.

For the governor of the Centre-Nord region, Blaise Ouédraogo, insecurity has not broken the fighting spirit of livestock breeders. Initiatives such as this fair, designed to provide them with outlets, are therefore to be welcomed.

Seizing the opportunity of the fair's opening, he expressed his gratitude to USAID Yidgiri for supporting the initiative. He also reassured USAID Yidgiri and the fair's other partners of the support of the region's administrative authorities in implementing initiatives aimed at building people's resilience. Addressing the breeders, the governor urged them to continue their efforts to develop livestock farming.

Some of the difficulties faced by the region's livestock farmers...

The official opening ceremony of the fair was an opportunity for the president of the Nebnooma provincial union of small ruminant producers in Sanmatenga to plead for the difficulties faced by livestock farmers to be taken into account. One of the difficulties concerns insecurity, which has caused several members to lose their animals. "The Union currently has 856 individual members, over 95% of whom are internally displaced," says Sawadogo.

He also believes that livestock feed is expensive, which makes it difficult for breeders to fatten their cattle. Another difficulty noted by the Union's president is the lack of feed storage warehouses.

Despite these difficulties, the breeders are managing to get by.

The Tabaski fair continues until Saturday June 15, 2024.

Source: lefaso.net/