On 7 May 2025, a joint mission from the World Bank and Dutch Cooperation, major financial partners of the Food System Resilience Programme in West Africa (FSRP), made a field visit to the Central and Plateaux regions in Togo. Three cooperatives that have benefited from FSRP support, in the form of training and equipment donations, were visited in Yaloumbè (Central region), Nyamassila (Plateaux-Est region) and Kpélé Tutu.
In Yaloumbè, a 13-member cooperative specialised in rice production has been trained in Smart Valleys technology, developed by AfricaRice and promoted by the FSRP in Togo. After a year of experimentation, the farmers highlighted the advantages of this approach, including optimised water management thanks to the development of basins in the lowlands, a significant reduction in the number of seed used (1 kg/ha compared with 3 kg/ha previously) and a tripling of yields, from 1.5 tonnes to 5 tonnes per hectare. However, the discussions highlighted several constraints, including the lack of permanent access to water due to the absence of an irrigation system.
In Nyamassila, the women's cooperative specialised in the processing of enriched flours made from moringa and néré benefited from training organised by the FSRP in 2023 on techniques for processing local flours. Thanks to this support, the members of the cooperative have begun to improve their living conditions by becoming real entrepreneurs, now supplying these enriched products to the local hospital and to the elderly.
The 85-member Kpélé Tutu cooperative is dedicated to producing compost and biopesticides, and is actively helping to boost agricultural productivity in the Planned Agricultural Development Zone (ZAAP) in the Plateaux-Est region. The cooperators, trained in the manufacture of these biological inputs, use a large-capacity composter to transform organic waste (plant leaves, peelings, garden waste, etc.) into compost, a natural fertiliser that is particularly beneficial for market garden crops and maize.
Discussions between members of the World Bank mission, comprising Ms Ashwini Sebastian, Regional FSRP Task Team Leader, and Mr Nouhoun Traoré, FSRP Co-TTL at the World Bank Office in Togo, and the Dutch cooperation team, comprising Mr Jeroen Rijniers and Mr Dominic van Asseldonk, and beneficiaries revealed the initial positive impact of the programme's interventions on the living conditions of the target populations. However, the discussions also highlighted additional needs, particularly in terms of irrigation, agri-food processing and storage.
This joint mission was part of the activities to monitor and review the results of the FSRP, financed by the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA), with additional financial support from the Netherlands Cooperation through the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP).
Discussions continued on 8 May 2025 in Lomé with representatives of the FSRP coordination regional institutions within ECOWAS, CILSS and CORAF.

As part of the implementation of sub-component 2.2 of the FSRP "Strengthening regional food security through integrated landscape management (GIP)", the Food System Resilience Program, in partnership with the Société d'Aménagement et d'Exploitation des Terres du Delta du Fleuve Sénégal et des Vallées du Sénégal et de la Falémé (SAED), is undertaking a vast project to develop 4,700 hectares of village irrigated areas (PIV) with masonry canals in the Senegal River valley. 
Against a backdrop of climate change marked by recurrent flooding and often dilapidated irrigation infrastructure, this programme to develop 4,700 ha of PIV by the FSRP in Saint Louis and Matam aims to improve food security, through the increased development of rice growing and horticultural production thanks to sustainable and more efficient irrigation infrastructure.
The sustainability of these developments lies in the modernisation of irrigation and drainage systems. Until now, the PIVs were fed by earthen canals, which were often fragile and prone to flooding. The irrigation solution put forward by the FSRP is based on the construction of reinforced concrete masonry canals (invert, posts and stiffeners) for greater durability and efficiency.

Masonry channels, a solution for the durability of PIVs 
The choice of masonry canals as the irrigation solution stems from the major problem of the need to maintain the structures in the valley's village irrigation schemes. The FSRP Sénégal has opted for an irrigation system that is both economical and sustainable.
These channels are made up of masonry blocks (walls) and structural reinforcement elements in reinforced concrete, such as: the base slab (raft); the top wall ties; the intermediate columns and the stiffeners installed at defined intervals. Not to mention the expansion joints to prevent the risk of the structure cracking in the event of differential settlement along the route of the canals. 
At the PIV level, this solution enables beneficiaries to reduce irrigation time and water losses through infiltration, and to increase the flow rate to guarantee water requirements, thereby combating the water stress that can lead to low yields. 
From an economic point of view, with masonry canals, upkeep and maintenance costs are lower due to the consistency of the initial investment, making it easier for beneficiaries to maintain the works. This innovation, which has a lifespan of at least fifteen (15) years, will also reduce pumping costs. 
In addition to improving the irrigation networks, the FSRP plans to make the areas safer from flooding by reinforcing the dykes and installing appropriate protection. The renewal and modernisation of hydraulic equipment is also at the heart of the project, with the installation of new motor-driven pumps (GMP).
With these 4,700 hectares, the feasibility study for which is currently underway, the Senegal River Valley is poised to become a model of integrated water resource management, serving food security and rural development.

From 24 to 26 April 2025, Niamey hosted the annual regional planning meeting for the research activities and projects of the Regional Centre for Livestock Specialisation (CRS-EL). This strategic meeting was part of efforts to strengthen the centres of excellence and specialisation of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), with the support of the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (PRSA/FSRP), funded by the World Bank.
CORAF, as the regional scientific coordination body, plays a central role in the operationalisation of the CRS-EL. Since the Center was set up in 2018, CORAF has provided ongoing technical and institutional support, fostering the emergence of a research network made up of eleven national centres in ten countries. Today, this regional structure enables expertise to be pooled and innovative solutions to be co-constructed to meet the many challenges facing the livestock sector in West Africa.
The meeting in Niamey enabled participants - government representatives, researchers, teacher-researchers, producer organisations and technical partners - to define the research priorities for the period 2025-2026. The aim was to design scientific interventions adapted to local realities, while meeting the expectations of producers and stakeholders in the livestock-meat-dairy value chain.
With livestock farming occupying a strategic position in the West African economy, the debates focused on the major research themes to be prioritised: genetic improvement, animal health, livestock feed, product processing, adding value to hides and skins, among others.
Professor Yayé Aissatou, Chair of CORAF's Scientific Committee, welcomed the progress made in structuring the CRS-EL. She emphasised the importance of strengthening the alignment between research activities and the needs of the field, stressing the need to involve end-users in the innovation process. In her view, CORAF's support through the PRSA/FSRP is crucial to ensuring regional coherence and the sustainability of interventions.
This meeting is part of a series of regional planning workshops organised under the FSRP, following those held in Mali and Chad in 2024. It will be followed by another session in Senegal in September 2025, demonstrating the regional momentum in research and development for resilient food systems.
All in all, this CRS-EL annual meeting is a major step towards consolidating the programme's achievements and promoting resilient, productive and sustainable livestock farming, in the interests of food security, job creation and economic development in West Africa.

In Sierra Leone, women and young people play a crucial role in vegetable production, making a significant contribution to the country's food system. However, despite the growing demand for vegetables, in particular onions, which are a staple in local cuisine, women farmers often face considerable barriers to their potential. The Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) has stepped in to bridge this gap, empowering women farmers to break the cycle of poverty through improved vegetable growing practices.
Supported by collaborations with the World Bank, the Government of Sierra Leone and the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme, the FSRP provides vital resources such as seeds, fertilisers, compost manure, tools, greenhouses and irrigation infrastructure, as well as training. This support aims to boost the production and productivity of women farmers, who are often hampered by limited access to quality seeds, land, finance and adequate storage facilities.

These difficulties have been compounded by climatic conditions that make market gardening costly and unpredictable. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation worsened considerably. With the price of onions rising from 17 to 40 dollars per 50 kg, the government suffered considerable losses, spending over 20 million dollars a year to import onions. This crisis highlighted the urgent need to invest in local agriculture in order to stabilise the food supply and protect consumers.
In response, the FSRP implemented its contingent emergency response component (component 4) from 2023 to 2024, providing free support to 15,580 women and youth farming households. This initiative facilitated land preparation, provided high-quality seeds, fertilisers, compost manure, extension services and established market access. More than 430 hectares of onions and 30 hectares of various vegetables (cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, etc.) have been grown in four districts: Port Loko, Koinadugu, Western Rural and Moyamba. As a result, local onion prices have begun to stabilise, enabling farmers to earn an income and provide for their families.

Thaio Kamara, a farmer in the Koinadugu district, shared her experience: "COVID-19 has taught me a lot. Before the crisis, I didn't understand the importance of obtaining high-quality seeds and planting beyond my small plot. With the FSRP, I've made a big change in my life - I got more than 50 50 kg bags at my first harvest and I sold them to extend my farmland, I now have seeds, money and knowledge to develop my farming activity".

When the emergency phase ended in early 2025, the project changed the approach to its support, focusing on creating links between farmers and the private sector to support production. The project has partnered with PC & Son, a major onion importer, to involve FSRP farmers as outgrowers, ensuring a sustainable investment in the sector. In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with PC & Sons to facilitate the training of PRSP beneficiaries and enable them to develop their onion farms for consumption and commercial markets.

Lungi, an onion production centre in the Port Loko district, is an excellent example of the impact of the PRSF. Thanks to the assistance provided to over 500 farmers, almost all the households are involved in market gardening, mainly to supply the capital, Freetown. Mary Mani, one of the beneficiaries, told us her story: "My husband is retired, and we have three children. I met the FSRP in 2023, when the country was recovering from the impact of COVID-19, the vegetable sector had dried up and onions had become a luxury product for most households. That year, the FSRP provided me with inputs (seed, fertiliser and compost manure) and extension services that considerably increased my productivity and household income. Previously, growing onions was difficult and I struggled to make a profit. This year, I harvested more than 200 bags of onions thanks to the FSRP, the Sierra Leone government and the World Bank. I now own a house and have the means to provide for the basic needs of my household thanks to onion growing".

With the emergency phase due to end in 2025, the PRSP's Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) will take over, continuing to help farmers prepare land and provide fertilisers, seeds and greenhouses to more than 16,500 people in eight districts: Bonthe, Pujehun, Koinadugu, Kambia, Western Rural, Moyamba, Tonkolili and Port Loko.

In the future, the project sees market gardening as a year-round opportunity, fuelled by persistent demand from urban consumers. The women farmers are planning to invest in this sector, particularly through improved access to irrigation. To this end, the FSRP has partnered with UNOPS to develop solar wells and is also setting up 15 weather stations through the Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency to provide weather updates to farmers. In addition, partnerships with telecommunications providers are planned to provide early warning messages, which will further strengthen the resilience of these vital farmers.

The FSRP represents a transformative step towards gender equality and economic empowerment in Sierra Leone, enabling women farmers to realise their potential and contribute to a more stable and sustainable agricultural sector. Through collaborative efforts and targeted support, we can pave the way for a prosperous future where women flourish and the chains of poverty are broken for good.
 

Work to rehabilitate and modernise the Bama irrigation scheme was officially launched on Friday 11 April 2025. The work is part of the Burkina Faso component of the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP-BF), and is aimed at boosting agricultural production in this strategic area in the long term. 
The aim is to completely rehabilitate 1,260 hectares of rice fields and 70 hectares of market garden areas by levelling the land to ensure better gravity-fed water distribution throughout the area. This rehabilitation represents an overall investment estimated at more than 15 billion CFA francs, mobilised with the direct involvement of the Minister of State, who gave instructions in October 2023 to make this project a priority. 
According to the stakeholders and beneficiaries, the groundbreaking ceremony marks the culmination of a long process of discussion and consultation with local producers.
Sanou Soumana, President of the Bama rice cooperatives Union (UCRB), expressed the enthusiasm of the producers: "This is a project we've been waiting for years. We will finally be able to produce three times a year on all 1,260 hectares, which will considerably increase the production of rice and wheat to feed the people of Burkina Faso". 
Once the work is complete, the entire area will be usable all year round. The introduction of modern cultivation methods, more suitable varieties and appropriate fertilisers is also planned, to improve productivity and harvest quality in the long term. 
This initiative is also part of a wider plan to develop 10,000 hectares of irrigated areas with full water control and 30,000 hectares of lowlands by the end of 2025.
 

For the FSRP-BF, this launch represents a decisive step towards national food security and local economic development in the region. The 1,085 producers in Bama are now preparing to significantly increase rice production in Burkina Faso.

The West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) and Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC) have teamed up to promote local chicken consumption in Ghana to mark WIPVaC's 8th  anniversary.
The flagship event of this collaboration was held on Tuesday 29 April 2025 in Accra. It offered a festive atmosphere, with free tastings of tasty pieces of grilled chicken accompanied by kenkey and chilli, a promotional sale of fresh and frozen local chicken at knock-down prices, lively music, surprise guests and a variety of entertainment.
Created to bring together women active across the poultry value chain, WIPVaC brings together breeders, traders, distributors and processors of poultry products, as well as suppliers of maize, soya and day-old chicks. The organisation's ambition is to create economic opportunities for its members by strengthening their participation in the development of the poultry sector and stimulating inclusive and sustainable growth.
As part of the Poultry Intensification Programme (PIS), implemented by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) with the support of the FSRP, WIPVaC members have benefited from in-kind credits (chicks, feed, vaccines) as well as technical training. Their first production cycle, launched last year, is now complete, ready to supply the market with quality local broilers.
"We are proud to have marked our 8ᵉ anniversary by honouring our work, and above all by raising the profile of local chicken, produced by dynamic and innovative women," stressed a WIPVaC manager.
This partnership is fully in line with the FSRP's objective of strengthening regional food security by promoting climate-smart agricultural practices (CSA), improving biosafety and fully integrating women into commercial value chains.
The FSRP has supported 60 poultry farmers in the Central, Greater Accra, Eastern, Volta and Ashanti regions, providing them with credit for 50,000 chicks, feed and vaccines. To date, 25,000 chicks have been distributed, enabling beneficiaries to complete their first broiler production cycle. 
During the ceremony, Mr John Dumelo, Ghana's Deputy Minister of Agriculture, stressed the need to develop an effective marketing strategy to improve the availability of local chicken on the market, in response to growing demand. He also spoke of plans to build modern processing facilities to strengthen the poultry value chain. 

Fishing is a major economic activity in Niger, directly or indirectly affecting more than 50,000 people. The country has a wide variety of fish, with more than 112 species listed, and fish production has increased in recent years, reaching 50,000 tonnes in 2023. Fishing activities are developed in Lake Chad (in the Diffa region), the river valley and numerous water points. Nowadays, with the problem of insecurity (in the river valley and Diffa) and other challenges such as the effects of climate change (silting up of water points and colonisation of water bodies by invasive plants), this sector is experiencing difficulties at all levels: production, conservation, processing and marketing of fish products.
With a view to creating favourable conditions for the sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources to help combat food and nutritional insecurity and improve incomes in rural areas, the PRSA Niger, through the Fisheries and Aquaculture Directorate (DPA) of the Ministry of Hydraulics, Sanitation, the Environment and the Fight against Desertification, has stocked the Tcherassa pond in the commune of Konni in the Tahoua region.
This activity, which aims to boost fisheries productivity, is part of an effort to improve the nutrition of the population, particularly children, and also to increase the income of fishermen, fishmongers and other players in the industry by introducing species with a high market value. The stocking operation is followed by a six (6) month closed season to allow the fish to reproduce and adapt to the environment of the introduced fish. 
On 14 April 2025, the authorities reopened the stocked pond, much to the delight of the local population.
It is important to note that 9 surrounding villages in the commune of Tcherassa benefit from the products of fishing in the pond, i.e. more than 10,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries, and measures have been taken to ensure surveillance of the stocked pond and thus combat any illegal fishing with a view to concerted management of the pond's resources. 

Chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock, Dr Mabouba Diagne, the launch ceremony of the Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) in Diamniadio was marked by a clear, action-oriented vision for the transformation of agriculture. For Senegal, integrating phase 3 of the FSRP is an opportunity to build a more solid and sustainable agricultural future.
In a West African context often weakened by climatic hazards and economic tensions, a glimmer of hope shone through with the official launch of the Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) in Diamniadio. In his speech at the launch, the Minister Agriculture diagnosed the ills undermining Senegal's agricultural sector, such as dependence on food imports, youth unemployment and the effects of climate change. The FSRP thus represents a structured and regional response to modernise Senegalese agriculture and strengthen the resilience of food systems.
The programme aims to increase preparedness for food insecurity and improve the resilience of food systems in Senegal, while contributing to the preparation and management of agricultural and food crises, strengthening the resilience of agro-sylvo-pastoral production systems and facilitating trade in agricultural goods and inputs within and across national borders in West Africa. 
To achieve this, the resilience programme takes a multi-dimensional approach, embracing all aspects of the agricultural value chain. This includes stimulating research and innovation, facilitating access to finance for producers, promoting agro-ecological practices, strengthening rural infrastructure, and fostering the integration of agricultural markets.
The Minister also emphasised the importance of the "attentiveness and flexibility" shown by the World Bank and IFAD over the past 12 months, enabling the project to be aligned with the new orientations of the President of the Republic and to better meet the needs of stakeholders in the agricultural and livestock sector. 
The World Bank's representative, Aïfa Fatimata Ndoye Niane, began by emphasising the "immense potential" for transforming this collective undertaking. "The FSRP is not just a project, it is a shared vision for a resilient West Africa", she declared with conviction. This vision, supported by ECOWAS, CORAF and CILSS, aims to strengthen food security in the face of recurring crises.
The hope raised by the FSRP in Senegal is also fuelled by its recent restructuring, aimed at precise alignment with national priorities, in particular "Vision Sénégal 2050", focused on sovereignty and prosperity. "We have integrated the financing of agricultural cooperatives, because they are at the heart of the modernisation of the sector". 
Community agricultural cooperatives at the heart of the strategy
The success of the transformation of agriculture lies in the development of community-based agricultural cooperatives. These cooperatives will be the basic units for pooling means of production, improving access to finance, facilitating training, formalisation, processing and marketing of agricultural products, while creating massive employment.
The FSRP plans to equip these farms with modern infrastructure such as boreholes, high-performance irrigation systems and generators, as well as connecting them to the national electricity grid. The aim is to turn these cooperatives into "agri-innovation hubs" for modernising agriculture and livestock farming.
By also targeting transhumance corridors, the programme aims to develop community agricultural cooperatives focused on livestock farming, thereby contributing to red meat self-sufficiency and local product processing, in order to curb the rural exodus. 
To make this vision a reality, Senegal is committed to developing 1,000 hectares of modern, inclusive agricultural farms. "I am committing my entire department to making these 1,000 hectares a showcase for inclusive and sustainable modern agriculture", said Mabouba Diagne, who reiterated his gratitude to financial and technical partners, underlining their attentiveness, responsiveness and strategic support. 
Speaking on behalf of the national coordination, Dr Mohamadou Lamine Dia highlighted the challenges and levers for successful implementation: "What we are launching today is not just a programme; it's a collective drive to transform the agricultural sector. 
The FSRP will only succeed if every player, at every level, takes part in this mission in a responsible and coordinated manner". He stressed the importance of participatory, transparent and locally-based governance, while praising the flexibility shown by the partners in adapting the programme to national priorities, in line with Vision Senegal 2050.

Against a backdrop of recurring food crises and the growing effects of climate change, Chad's Programme for the Resilience of Food Systems in West Africa and the Sahel (PRSA-TD) launched a major operation to distribute agricultural kits in three of the country's provinces from 17 to 25 April 2025. This initiative, run in collaboration with the Chadian government and various technical partners, aims to build the capacity of market garden producers in rural areas, some of the most vulnerable in the country.
The provinces targeted by this first phase of the campaign are Chari-Baguirmi, Hadjer-Lamis and Lac, three regions where food insecurity remains a major challenge. The beneficiaries, mainly local producers' organisations, received ploughing kits, NPK and urea fertilisers and pesticides to boost agricultural production. The aim is clear: to support the revival of market gardening and improve the food and nutritional security of the local population in the long term.
The operation was carried out in close coordination with the technical departments of the Ministry of Agricultural Production and Industrialisation, in particular the Agence Nationale d'Appui au Développement Rural (ANADER) and the Direction de la Production Végétale et des Cultures (DPVC). The administrative and local authorities also played a key role, facilitating logistics and community mobilisation on the ground.
For the Provincial Coordinator of PRSA-TD, this first distribution marks the start of a wider process. "This is an initial stage in a progressive strategy. Other localities in the programme's intervention zone will benefit from this support very soon", he assured us. The aim of the programme is to eventually cover all the priority rural areas to equip producers with the tools they need to cope with the climatic and economic shocks affecting the agricultural sector.
On the ground, the reactions of beneficiaries were not long in coming. Several producers have expressed their gratitude and hailed the support as "life-saving". For many, this aid gives new hope to rural families faced with increasing poverty. "This support will relieve the efforts of the members of our farmers' organisations and restore hope to the countryside", said Mbodou Mahamat, a farmer from the Lac region.
With this operation, the PRSA-TD is confirming its commitment to long-term action in support of resilient and inclusive agricultural development. It is to be hoped that the momentum generated will be intensified and sustained throughout the country.

Raising small ruminants is a vital source of income for many rural women. In the context of the fight against poverty, the quest for food security and resilience to the effects of climate change, the introduction of more efficient breeds appears to be a priority for creating income-generating activities and improving the incomes of vulnerable women through more productive and sustainable goat farming.
With technical support from the Institut Togolais de Recherche Agronomique (ITRA), the FSRP Togo has launched the pilot extension of the Maradi red goat in twelve (12) localities spread across the country's six agro-ecological regions, with the aim of improving the incomes of vulnerable women by breeding the Maradi goat, nicknamed "the poor man's dairy cow" because of its high milk production.
Originating in the Maradi department of Niger, this remarkably robust breed of goat has a number of assets, including its great hardiness and its ability to produce milk rich in vitamin A. Thanks to these assets, the Maradi red goat has proved to be the mainstay of economic development for rural households.
This FSRP initiative to introduce prolific breeds into livestock production systems is based on a rigorous methodology, as explained by Dr DJABA Atouga, head of the goat and sheep programme at the ITRA agricultural research centre in Kolokopé: The Maradi red goats you see arrived at the centre on 9 October 2024 and underwent a two-month quarantine period before being mated. To ensure that the organised matings were successful, we observed a further period of around four months to see the first signs, including udder development. Following these appearances, we proceeded to distribute the goats to vulnerable women identified in the country's six agricultural regions. Each woman received at least two (2) pregnant goats and a suitable feeding kit.
After just a few days of providing pregnant goats, goat kids have been born in some places. This is the case of Mrs Kossiwa Yao, a beneficiary based in Langabou, who describes her experience with the animals: "These goats are all I have today and I look after them as if they were my own children. As soon as they were born, they gave birth to a vigorous male kid within a week. Even though she is nursing the kid well, she still has a lot of milk in her udders. I'm planning to extract some of it to make cheese and sell at the market. 
Through this action, the FSRP Togo is laying the foundations for structural improvement in the goat sector, while placing rural women at the heart of the agricultural development dynamic. This initial pilot phase paves the way for a gradual extension, based on concrete results, in favour of more resilient, inclusive and economically viable family farming.
ICAT's technical services provide regular veterinary and technical monitoring of these animals for the twelve women who have each received at least two (02) pregnant goats in the country's six agricultural regions.