Impacts of COVID-19 on the practice of urban agriculture: the case of market gardening in the vicinity of the Tanghin dams in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

The pandemic has had a negative impact on market garden production in the city of Ouagadougou. Indeed, a good number of young producers interviewed on the subject said that when the pandemic was announced, restrictions were put in place. Among these measures are:

– Physical distancing measures;

– Closure of borders between cities and the countryside

– Closure of markets;

All these measures have had consequences such as:

– High cost of living

– Absence of essential market garden products

– Absence of agricultural inputs

– Unavailability of labour;

– An increase in production costs;

– Increased cost of agricultural inputs;

– Neglected production sites;

– lack of market for market garden products; etc.

Recommendations from the Yilaa Burkina Faso team:

1- To the political authorities:

– Subsidize agricultural inputs for young and female producers in urban areas;

– Strengthen the technical capacities of young and female producers in urban areas;

– Facilitate access to urban land for women and youth;

– Support young people and women in acquiring land titles;

– Establish a support fund for youth and women sproducers in urban areas to ensure resilience in the face of climate change.

Author: LA REDACTION