From 30 January 2024 to 14 February 2025, a joint participatory mission to identify suitable agricultural sites was carried out in the Massakory Regional Coordination in Chad. This initiative is part of the Programme de Résilience du Système Alimentaire en Afrique de l'Ouest et au Sahel (FSRP-Chad), which aims to identify agricultural land that could be developed to strengthen the resilience of the local food system.
A total of 443 hectares were identified at 22 sites, with a particular focus on those requiring immediate development. Of these hectares, 50 have been selected for small-scale market-gardening projects, spread over 12 sites targeted for the launch of micro-projects. These projects are awaiting the results of environmental and social screening.
In addition, 130 hectares of arable land have been selected for technical studies, with a view to equipping them with the high-capacity boreholes needed for more intensive farming. Preliminary assessments of development costs estimate a total investment of CFA1.1 billion for this first phase, including CFA404 million for market garden projects and CFA687 million for field crops.
Specific studies will be carried out on these sites, including the installation of hybrid mini-pumping stations, water distribution networks and anti-erosion measures in vulnerable areas. Safety infrastructure, such as fencing for market garden sites and drainage networks for field crops, is also envisaged to ensure the sustainability of the projects.
The methodology of this mission consisted of consultation with local authorities, producers and other local stakeholders to ensure that the sites selected met the needs of the communities. The selection was made considering geographical, hydrogeological, socio-economic and environmental specificities. Farmers, particularly those on the outskirts of the capital N’Djamena, have expressed a strong interest in developing these lands.
The sites selected will have to go through an environmental and social screening process before being awarded the development studies, which will be carried out in-house, pooling skills both within the UCTF and with technical partners. At the same time, discussions will be held with SODELAC concerning polder sites in the Lac province.
