BUJUMBURA May 30th (ABP) – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) provides multifaceted support to rural people in the context of improving their livelihoods. This was said on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 during a press conference hosted by the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations system in Burundi, Mr. Damien Mama, in collaboration with WFP, FAO and IFAD representatives in Burundi.
According to the deputy manager of the FAO program in Burundi, Mr. Alain Gilbert Ndakoze, the multifaceted support of the FAO in the field of agricultural production has the impact of increasing crop yields, incomes of supported households and therefore, food and nutrition improvement for rural people.
During the 2021-2022 agricultural year, FAO supported the 146 seed multipliers in the Bubanza, Cankuzo and Ruyigi provinces by granting them 27 tons of certified organic bean seeds. This support made it possible to produce 270 tons of certified organic bean seeds which were bought by the FAO and redistributed to the people supported, to enable them to set up the agricultural season in order to improve their food and nutritional security, illustrated Mr. Ndakoze.
Stressing that the priority area of FAO is the sustainable improvement of food and nutritional security of citizens, Mr. Ndakoze indicated that FAO supports the government of Burundi in increasing agricultural, animal, forestry and fisheries production through the availability of means and improved and innovative production techniques and ensuring access to knowledge.
The deputy manager of the FAO program pointed out that the actions of this UN organization cover 15 provinces of the country except Cibitoke, Karusi and Rutana provinces. These actions, which are part of Burundi’s “Country Program Framework (CPP), focus on the intensification of agricultural production and the professionalization of producer organizations, the sustainable management of natural resources and resilience to climate change, as well as capacity building and institutional support, he clarified.
“The support of households with domestic animals and inputs increases milk and meat production, producing direct effects on the food and nutrition of supported households and surrounding people”, Mr. Ndakoze said with joy, adding that this support also influences the food and culinary behavior of these households because, he underlined, FAO support is always accompanied by the sharing of knowledge in the field of support in order to promote expertise within rural people.
Mr. Ndakoze did not forget to tell the press that the FAO’s 2022-2031 strategic framework aims to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda by transforming agri-food systems to make them more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable, with a view to improving production, nutrition, the environment and living conditions, leaving no one behind.