Agricultural productivity improvement, more than 15,000 Farmers reached by the ACMA 2 program in 2020

Through an Annual review workshop held from 19th to 21st January 2021, the Communal Approach to the Agricultural Market program phase two and its partners have gathered lessons from the support implemented by the program to improve agricultural productivity.

The overall objective of this workshop is to capitalize on assets acquired through the implementation of the Training and Demonstration plots (CPD), the Special Support for Agricultural Intensification (ASIA) and the program's mechanism for access to inputs. Among other participants : Business services support organisations (SAE), partners of the ACMA2 program in the implementation of agricultural productivity improvement actions (ANAF, Africa Green Corporation, ASPAIF, UNPS and ABS), producers, Leaders of farmers' organizations (POs), representatives of Government extension services.

The assessment of the implementation of the activities by each implementing organization in 2020, was focusing on the progress made and the points to be improved? This process helped to synthesize the lessons learned and the challenges to be met. A total of 66 Training and demonstration plots have been set up by the program via the Business services support organizations, on 70 planned for the benefit of 15 313 producers of agricultural business clusters on 20 380 planned, which is 75% of planned targets. The Special Support for Agricultural Intensification (ASIA) activity has allowed to set up 1000 kits for the benefit of 1000 producers among them 381 women and 781 young people. Also, more than 300 million (323,724,370) FCFA of input credits were facilitated by the 5 implementing organizations for the year through the input access mechanism.

Some of lessons learned: the Business services support organisations have learned that compliance with the criteria for selecting actors and guidelines and specifications given by the program in the implementation of field activities guarantees success. It was also noted that: The application of good agricultural practices by direct actors effectively contributes to yield improvement, this yield improvement attracts indirect actors to adopt these good practices. On the other side, the program has learned that the partnership with business service support Organizations contributes to the achievement of results. Involving Government extension services and ensuring the quality of agroinputs are important elements in the sustainability of the program achievements. Participants also noted that the availability and use of the storage warehouses built by the program are remarkable economic levers in the process.

At the end of the workshop, experiences in the implementation of Training and demonstration plots, ASIA and the input access mechanism were capitalized. The main lines to address the challenges of the program in improvement of agricultural productivity and consolidation, sustainability of the achievements are defined in terms of perspectives for the 2021 season. The planning process consider the nee soft agribusiness clusters actors. For 2021, particular attention will be made to market price fluctuations, greater involvement of the MFIs (Microfinance institutions),  endogenous trainers and private organisations-approved by Ministry of agricultural and fishery in the provision of agricultural advisory services to private clients. Particularly attention activities on climate change mitigation, and greater involvement of cooperatives in the management of the special Agricultural intensification package kit.