Burkina Faso: Dourou is home to a vast irrigation scheme, the symbol of an ambitious agricultural policy
On Thursday, July 3, 2025, Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo officially inaugurated the irrigation perimeter of Dourou, located in the commune of Kirsi, Passoré province. This strategic project is part of the development vision led by the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who has made food self-sufficiency and agricultural sovereignty national priorities.
Covering a developed area of 865 hectares, the site includes a pumping station, a main supply canal, distribution and drainage networks, as well as additional infrastructure: access roads, drying areas, and 20 storage facilities for preserving and marketing agricultural products. With a total cost of over 17.5 billion CFA francs, the project is 93.7% financed by the Agricultural Resilience and Competitiveness Project (PReCA).
The irrigation perimeter will allow for double cropping: during the rainy season, it will produce at least 3,600 tons of rice, representing an estimated value of 2.16 billion CFA francs. In the dry season, more than 17,600 tons of tomatoes and onions are expected, for a projected revenue of 9.7 billion CFA francs.
In his speech, the Prime Minister praised the commitment of the Head of State, emphasizing that this infrastructure is the result of a strong political will to structurally transform the agricultural sector. He encouraged producers to fully take ownership of the project to make it a source of collective wealth, while calling for inclusive management that especially involves women.
This achievement adds to several other ongoing initiatives as part of the government’s agropastoral and fisheries offensive. It reflects a new and ambitious dynamic aimed at strengthening the resilience of the population, eradicating hunger, and building an economically sovereign and prosperous Burkina Faso.
