FARAweek: Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore Opens General Assembly

The FARA General Assembly opened with President of Burkina Faso, H.E. Blaise Compaore, who said an intensive focus on improving agriculture production is key to putting the continent on a stable path to development.

“The challenge we face is how to make agriculture modern and productive. This will bring about an increase in food and strengthen our capacity to feed our people while remaining competitive in global markets,” he said.

He outlined three areas that should be given priority:

• Agriculture intensification through adoptions of new techniques and technologies;
• Processing products to increase value-chain opportunities; and
• Fighting for competitiveness in world markets.

Compaore noted that “only a good and stable political environment can offer farmers the possibility to deploy” generate the wealth of advances emerging from the research establishment. And he accepted on behalf of the people of Burkina Faso the Foundation for Democracy’s in Africa’s Medal of Glory Award that honors “exemplary leaders for extraordinary contributions to economic, social, cultural and agricultural development and democracy in Africa."