Improvement of Agriculture Related Information Channels to Farmers in the Rural Area Sissili - Burkina Faso

Since 2005, FEPPASI has been testing the potential of ICTs to train farmers and to help professionalise their business. In that time the organisation has managed to gradually integrate ICTs into its day-to-day working processes. They regularly use multimedia tools, such as digital photo and video cameras, to document the tests of crops varieties in the fields, and to create training material on innovative production, food-processing methods, marketing skills, production of organic fertilizers, and techniques for the sustainable management of natural resources. According to FEPPASI, the use of these audiovisual training materials considerably reduces the length of workshops and enhances its impact. Farmers' production is up to nine times greater than before.

Sissili is a province with a relatively high amount of rainfall and thus suitable for agriculture. However, farmers’ organisations in this region are still quite young and their impact on the promotion commercial farming remains weak. This handicap is further enhanced by the fact that information and communication infrastructure in this region is almost non-existent (mostly non-paved roads, telephone coverage in only 3 out of 7 departments, very limited internet access). The project’s main goal is to use information, capacity development and communication to strengthen farmers’ organisations and to improve agricultural production methods.

Read more about IICD’s Burkina Faso Country Programme.

FEPPASI initially trained a group of 20 farmers to become advisors, who could then go on to train and advise other farmers in their respective districts. Since the advisors are farmers from the same area, the trust and acceptance level is much higher compared to an advisor from the capital city. This group of advisors were subsequently trained in basic ICT skills and to use them to create training material.

In three years, the federation’s advisors have trained about 2,500 farmers in innovative production, food-processing methods, marketing skills, production of organic fertilizers, and techniques for the sustainable management of natural resources, using video, photos and digital presentations. For example, a photo stream explains the step-by-step process of how to turn yam into flour.

A learning brief in French has been published featuring the most important lessons learned.

The general objective of the project is to improve the farmers’ information and knowledge on production methods by the implementation of an improved information and communication system of the farmer federation FEPPASI. Specific objectives are:

• Capacity building and empowerment of farmers
• Local content development
• Cost reductions on travel costs, on development and recycling of training materials and on training delivery through the use of multimedia tools

The primary beneficiaries of the project are the member organisations of the Farmers’ Federation FEPPASI, with approximately 12,000 members (of which 3,700 women). Indirect beneficiaries are the farmers' families, other associations working in the agricultural sector in Sissili and non-aligned farmers in the province.

The project has an indirect impact on poverty alleviation through improved communication opportunities for farmers, increasing their access to production techniques and market prices. Another indirect impact on poverty alleviation is caused by the improved training skills of FEPPASI, making use of multimedia tools. Through audiovisual training on innovative production, food-processing methods, marketing skills, production of organic fertilizers, and techniques for the sustainable management of natural resources, farmers' production is up to nine times greater than before.

Read more about IICD’s approach towards Livelihoods.

A learning brief in French has been published featuring the most important lessons learned.

The project is owned by FEPPASI (Fédération Provinciale des Producteurs Agricoles de la Sissili), active in the seven departments of the province Sissili. The federation unites almost 96 farmer groups, with about 2400 members. Sustainability of the project is promising, as it is embedded in the daily operations of the organisation.