Wendwaoga (God is Great)

Burkina Faso, like many Sahel countries, is one the poorest countries in the world with 46.4% of its population living under poverty line. Despite a more and more integrated global economy and a local economic growth potential, a great deal of rural people is living in absolute poverty. Because of a static mentality, the activities are transmitted from generation to generation without tangible improvement to adapt to climate change, to lands erosion or to respond to the issue of food security. Thus, farmers and animal breeders become vulnerable and unable to control the national and international market. Animal husbandry is one of the major economic activities the poor population are left to depend on as source of diet and of currency income. It also stands as the main insurance against the risks for millions of people whose subsistence means rely on pluvial agriculture. However, it is important to single out transhumant husbandry – which is practiced at the mercy of pastures and water points and which often causes many conflicts between ploughmen and animal breeders due to crops damaged by herds – from sedentary semi-intensive husbandry for meat production. The latter is often practiced by non animal breeders such as ploughmen, butchers, consumers and women are general not involved. In front of the demographic development, this husbandry that does not exceed 50 heads per herd does not manage to meet the demand. The traditional intensive methods are not enough to cover the meat-based needs. With an annual growth estimated at 4%, the demand in meat-based products in Sahel and West Africa was supposed to increase to more than 250% by 2025 whereas the offer growth’s rate is currently estimated at 2%. The States and the rural areas support organizations proposed solutions for the husbandry to be one the driving forces that will make the West African market dynamic in terms of agricultural and food products through strengthening food and diet security on the one hand and, on the other hand, through poverty reduction. They offered trainings on capacity building and on best production techniques. But that has been rejected by some and for others, created a dependence on exterior aid and imported knowledge. As they became more and more aware of that, the national authorities wanted to develop mechanisms for the populations to take in charge their own development by making use of the resources available. The rural populations also develop many individual and community initiatives pertaining production processing in order to improve their living conditions. They often gather in association or union for an easier mobilization of knowledge and assets that are not necessarily available. As a matter of fact, they often find it difficult to meet the required commercial standards at the local, regional or international scale.