« The rural communities of Burkina prove that they are capable of achievement, if given an opportunity »

At the time of its presentation, we welcomed the second National Land Management Programme (PNGT2- Programme National de la Gestions des Terroirs). In our publication « Friends of the Earth » (les Amis de la Terre) we encouraged the rural communities to avail themselves of this opportunity. The programme is based on the dynamic role of the village committees for local land management.

The purpose of such committees is to bring together all the active forces in a village to work for its development. We therefore have secured a translation in various local languages of the official document, which explains how to set up a village committee and how it should operate. We have been working in direct co-operation with officials in charge of the programme and on their request we published 30 000 copies, in 9 local languages, of a support document explaining the procedures. The programme comes to an end in June this year. The results seem very encouraging, as evidenced in the comments below.

Mr Mats Karlsson, Director of the World Bank activities in Burkina Faso, finds that “the first phase (2000 to 2006) has produced impressive results. For example 4 000 villages, equal to 50% of the rural communities of the country, have set up village committees, by which they have strengthened their planning, implementation and management capacities. 39 million dollars (20 billion CFA francs) were invested in 12 000 micro-projects (water management infrastructures – dams, gates – and social services – schools, literacy groups, maternity care – as well as the management of the environment, improvement of soil fertility).

Ms Mary A. Barton-Dock, the World Bank Project Director, said that the village communities have demonstrated that they are fully capable of achieving results, provided they are given a chance. The micro-projects financed by the first programme, turned out to be 30% less costly compared to similar projects elsewhere. The new infrastructures remain altogether operational, thanks to the strong sense of responsibility for their maintenance developed in the community.

Following the successful outcome of these projects, the World Bank allocated a further amount of 74 million dollars (37 billion CFA francs) for the second phase of the Land Management Programme.

We are pleased at this and are prepared to continue our co-operation with the project. “The rural communities have proven their capacity to achieve results”. Why not then show even more faith in their strength by providing the programme with an actual food and agricultural policy, based on the right to food sovereignty?

Brescia, Italy

May 22, 2007

Maurice Oudet, Director

SEDELAN