Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

City overview

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital and largest city, with a population of 3,204,000 in 2023, is positioned in the Central Region, Kadiogo Province of the country. The city’s elevation, approximately 305 meters (1,000 feet) above sea level, contributes to its hot and dry climate, accentuated during the Harmattan season by dust-laden winds from the Sahara. Ouagadougou,  a city of 3 million inhabitants, is home to 12% of Burkina Faso’s total population, spread over an area of 600 km2. Ouagadougou serves as the main economic center of the country, primarily fueled by the secondary and tertiary sectors. According to the National Territorial Planning and Sustainable Development Plan, in 2021, the city was home to 34 of Burkina Faso’s 66 industrial establishments, making up over half of the country’s industrial base. The growth in the region’s GDP from 2005 to 2012 was mainly due to the expansion of these sectors, particularly services and commerce, which now represent 48% of the city’s GDP. 

The informal sector, through the education session, is now contributing significantly to the economy, with a noticeable increase in their business registrations, totaling over 16,000 in 2021. Additionally, urban and peri-urban agriculture are key components, supplying more than 90% of the city’s vegetables and fruits and generating thousands of jobs, particularly for the most vulnerable groups.

The city is well-connected by an international airport and a railway system that links it to the Ivory Coast, facilitating robust passenger and freight transportation. Ouagadougou is also recognized as a cultural center, annually attracting regional and international visitors to events such as the International Arts and Crafts Fair (SIAO) and the Pan African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO).

Ouagadougou’s Food Systems Challenges

Ouagadougou grapples with food and nutrition insecurity that mirrors the national situation. Recurrent climatic challenges and volatile food prices intensify vulnerability, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Ouagadougou is facing several challenges within its food system. The management of urban production areas, the management of markets, and the promotion of healthy school food and street food are key issues in ensuring a healthy diet for the population. Together with the hygiene service and the General Directorate of the Municipal Police, the municipal authority supervises the city’s catering activity by defining the rules for managing the city’s food supply.  The school feeding program also faces challenges, particularly regarding food availability in schools, where meals are often not nutritious or diversified. Additionally, urban agriculture and land use are impacted by urban sprawl, which has reduced the availability of land for agricultural purposes, making it difficult to implement sustainable farming practices.

Ouagadougou’s Food Systems Commitments and Targets

Ouagadougou is committed to improving its food system through key initiatives focused on urban agriculture, strengthening capacity-building, and enhancing infrastructure. The city aims to promote urban agriculture, particularly through activities that enhance the green belt, and strengthen the capacities of stakeholders involved in food production, processing, and marketing. The city is also working on promoting the development of modern socio-economic infrastructure, such as markets, industrial processing, and conservation units. In addition, Ouagadougou is planning to implement a territorial food plan to supervise all food system interventions.

As a signatory of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact in 2019, Ouagadougou is committed to promoting sustainable food systems. The city engages in policy discussions and partnerships with NGOs and international institutions, acting as a focal point for collaboration on food system governance and decentralization. The city’s role includes advocating for policy changes and facilitating partnerships to improve local food systems.

City led/ supported projects/ initiatives

 

 

Urban Agriculture and Green Belt Supervision

The City of Ouagadougou is at the forefront of the Urban Agriculture and Green Belt Supervision project, designed to bolster food security and ecological resilience through innovative and sustainable agricultural methods. 

RIKOLTO, alongside Association Béo Neere Agroécologie (ABNA) and the Saissonnière, carry out capacity-building activities for producers on good production methods that respect the environment and are resilient to the effects of climate change by developing an adapted model. Speakers are trained in negotiation and marketing techniques, crop planning and agricultural calendar development, green belt training sessions, climate-resilient agro-ecological production practices, and agroforestry. 

This project centers around a 1,100-hectare green belt that serves both as a barrier against environmental degradation and as a hub for urban agriculture. It also leverages the green belt for agroforestry and market gardening, strategically integrating these elements to enhance biodiversity and provide local produce. The city council has facilitated the reforestation of this area and designated plots for agriculture which are developed in cooperation with local communities and stakeholders. These efforts aim to create a sustainable model that not only supports the local ecosystem but also boosts urban food production.

To manage and supervise this green belt effectively, the municipality has implemented a comprehensive approach that includes launching a multi-stakeholder dialogue and forming a dedicated committee to oversee the development and maintenance of the area. This governance structure helps ensure that the green belt’s objectives align with the city’s broader environmental and food security goals, involving various actors in its planning and execution.

 

Training and Financial Support in Agri-Food Sectors

Through the AfriFOODlinks project, and coordinated by Rikolto, Ouagadougou’s Agency for the Financing and Promotion of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises conducted a mapping of financial products to support inclusive and sustainable financing for food companies. As a result, three financial models were proposed: (1) crowdfunding or solidarity financing through tontines offered by microfinance institutions, (2) blended financing combining equipment subsidies and micro-leasing with credit backed by guarantees, and (3) market-based financing tied to payment guarantees and overdraft credit lines. These models aim to address key constraints and support the development of food, agro-industrial, and circular economy enterprises.

In collaboration with national and international bodies, the city also promotes professional training and technical support in agriculture and food processing. These efforts aim to reduce the city’s dependency on food imports and improve food security. The city organizes and coordinates training sessions and provides financial incentives and resources to boost the agricultural and food processing sectors. The municipality has supported dozens of women by equipping them with necessary production tools, such as motor pumps and other farming equipment. 

Food Sales Spaces in Schools

In late 2018, the Municipality of Ouagadougou embarked on a pioneering initiative aimed at enhancing food hygiene within educational environments by constructing and developing dedicated food sales spaces in schools. The pilot project initially encompassed three public primary schools: EZAKA School, Karpala, and Gounghin Nord School. The primary goal of this initiative was twofold: to regulate and trace the food sold within all school premises in the municipality, and to promote the integration of school canteens with the cooperative of municipal restaurant chains, thereby ensuring a healthier eating environment.

This project became part of a broader municipal investment focusing on the sanitation of the school living environments, which includes enhancing school infrastructure and equipment as well as building the capacity of school staff to maintain these new standards. To achieve all these objectives, Rikolto promotes school nutrition through the establishment of school gardens, intending to promote circular and inclusive food, as well as environmental and nutritional education for students. A kitchen and a dining hall will soon be under construction in Nongmikma’s A and B schools. Through its actions, Rikolto has also strengthened the capacity of school food vendors in terms of good hygiene and cooking practices.

Citations

Yaméogo, C. (2024, May 31). State of City Food System Report: Ouagadougou. AfriFOODlinks project, Cape Town, South Africa. https://afrifoodlinks.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/State-of-City-Food-Systems-Report_Ouagadougou.pdf

Ouagadougou. (n.d.). UNESCO. https://www.unesco.org/en/creative-cities/ouagadougou

Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (n.d.). MUFPP Secretariat. https://www.milanurbanfoodpolicypact.org/

Ouagadougou (n.d.). AfriFOODlinks. https://afrifoodlinks.org/city/ouagadougou/

 

 

 

 

 

*Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union.

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