Burkina Faso/Livestock: The Beoog-neere Association of Ganzourgou offers 320 goats to producers

The Beoog-neere Association (ABN) of Ganzourgou is coming to the aid of producers in Zorgho, the capital of Ganzourgou province in the Plateau-central region. Bouga André Ouédraogo, president of the ABN, proceeded on Thursday, May 19, 2022 in Zorgho, to the delivery of 320 goats to 80 producers of Zorgho. ABN intends to contribute to the food self-sufficiency of these producers.

This is the story of a credit system that began in 2006. At the time, a group of people, gathered in the Beoog-neere Association, granted credit for bags of peanuts to farmers. At the end of the season, they were obliged to pay back with two bags of peanuts. "By giving ten people this year, we would receive enough for 20 people next season," said Bouga André Ouédraogo.

In 2008, the activity grew and the association received its receipt from the administration. Over the years, the initiators decided to involve farmers in their activities. This is now translated into donations of goats to breeders. On Thursday 19 May 2022, the tradition was respected by the members of the Beoog-neere Association.

With the support of Solidar Suisse, Bouga André Ouédraogo and his comrades gave 320 goats and cattle feed to 80 farmers in Zorgho. This donation comes at a time when Burkina Faso is facing a security and health crisis and soaring commodity prices. The association wishes to provide a solution to the situation that the people are experiencing. "We want, through this gesture, to encourage producers to put more effort into their activities in order to face the difficulties we are currently experiencing," explained Bouga André Ouédraogo.

The choice of beneficiaries was made, according to the donors, after a tour of livestock areas. "While touring the livestock areas, we saw producers who wanted help to strengthen their activities. With livestock, in addition to meat, they will have manure because they have already dug pits for it," added Bouga André Ouédraogo.

For the prefect of Zam, one of the communes of the Ganzourgou province, and representing the high commissioner, this gift is a very good investment for producers. "It is a very good support for the beneficiaries. It will allow them to work to satisfy all their small needs. Some of them wanted it but they could not afford to buy even one goat. They now receive three females and one male. If it is to work, after a year, we must notice a change in the person concerned," said Désiré T. Ilboudo.

In such circumstances, the temptation to sell the goats to support themselves can be very high. The prefect then called on producers to make sacrifices to keep the animals that were given to them. "We ask the beneficiaries to refrain from selling the animals. They would earn more by breeding than by selling these animals now," he said.

The appeal was well heard by the beneficiaries who promise to apply themselves to succeed in breeding. "When we came here, we didn't know that everyone would receive so many goats. We are really happy to receive this gift. The goat reproduces faster than the sheep. We are going to work on breeding for our own good and that of our families," promised Hadja Marietta Dabilgou, spokesperson for the beneficiaries.

The province of Ganzourgou is one of 45 provinces in Burkina Faso. According to 2019 statistics, it had 481,794 inhabitants on 4,169 km2. The province of Ganzourgou has 8 departments and is part of the Central Plateau region whose capital is Ziniaré.

Source: lefaso.net