Abidjan, April 12, 2022 — In order to strengthen production capacities in the food sector and thus ensure regular supplies to various consumer markets, the Ivorian government has taken a series of measures to increase its support for this highly strategic sector for the country's economy.

The initiatives of the Ivorian authorities for the benefit of this sector have made it possible to strengthen the food supply chain and to boost the development of the sector.

Côte d'Ivoire, like other countries in the sub-region, is facing soaring prices for consumer products due to both endogenous and exogenous factors.

The government, which listens to the population, has initiated meetings with the leaders of the sector to gather their proposals, in order to provide sustainable solutions to the issue of productivity and supply.

Following these consultations, the Prime Minister, Patrick Achi, on behalf of the President of the Republic, Alassane Ouattara and the Government, provided food cooperatives with agricultural equipment and inputs, at a cost of more than 2.5 billion FCFA. This is in order to improve production capacities and systems.

Determined to go further, the government plans to build 40 local markets, three wholesale markets and 10 relay markets on the national territory.

The implementation of the Food Sector Support Programme in Côte d'Ivoire (PASVCI), financed to the tune of more than 13 billion CFA francs, is also planned. The objective is to accelerate the production and marketing of food products.

Also as part of its support for this sector, the government mobilized 50 billion CFA francs in 2020 for the benefit of the food sector in order to anticipate a possible food crisis in the midst of the Covid-19 health crisis. In April 2020, the State provided seven structures working in the markets of Adjamé, Treichville, Cocody, Yopougon and Locodjro (Attecoubé), several tens of millions of CFA francs to support the supply of food products. When more than 15 million FCFA were offered to cooperatives operating in this sector, based in rural areas.

All these financial and structural efforts by the Ivorian State in favor of the food sector have contributed to the strengthening of food security, through the modernization, professionalization and improvement of the economic performance of food chains.

The support provided to the food sector has a considerable socio-economic challenge. This allows, on the one hand, the government to preserve the purchasing power of populations and, on the other hand, to promote the empowerment of women.

All these measures taken by the government have only one aim: to revitalize the food sector and thus curb the rise in food prices.