Burkina Faso/Food self-sufficiency: President Ibrahim TRAORE wants to make the armed forces key players in his agricultural policy
Under the leadership of President Ibrahim TRAORE, the role of Burkinabe soldiers has expanded beyond the battlefield. Military personnel are now seen as essential contributors to the construction of an emerging, prosperous, and sovereign Burkina Faso, both economically and socially.
In addition to revitalizing the policy of reintegrating retired soldiers, the President aims to involve his fellow soldiers more actively in development projects. A key example is his presidential initiative for food self-sufficiency, the 2025 agro-pastoral and fisheries offensive, which he personally launched to boost endogenous development and reduce the country’s dependence on foreign imports, particularly for food and essential goods.
During his visit last week to a pineapple farm being experimented with by soldiers from Camp Naba-Koom 2, President TRAORE expressed his satisfaction with the commitment of the project’s initiators. He emphasized that “the army is not just about weapons. It must also contribute to the development of our country. We are teaching the military many new things”. His vision is for a significant portion of both the products for export and the goods consumed nationally to come from the military.
For the President, it is crucial that all Burkinabe citizens, without exception, join in this collective effort, not only to free the country from its enemies but also to ensure its true development. This aligns with the general interest of the country and the well-being of both present and future generations. The commitment of the military to this vision underscores their admiration for the President’s leadership and ambitions.
