Burkina Faso soldiers train for farming careers
93 military and forestry agents began a three-week course on November 3, 2026, in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso.
93 soldiers and forestry agents began a three-week training course on November 3, 2026, in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso. The program prepares them for careers in farming and livestock as they approach retirement. Lieutenant Sompayiti Moctar Kaboré, three months from ending his military service, sees this as a way to support his family and contribute to Burkina Faso's food security.
The session includes 74 participants in Ouagadougou and 19 in Bobo-Dioulasso. Trainer Ibrahim Sory of CID Ingénierie emphasized that agriculture and livestock require skills, planning, and management. Training covers adapted production techniques, soil management, fertilizer use, water conservation, animal husbandry, and economic management.
Colonel-major Alassane Guiré, director of cabinet at the Ministry of Agriculture, donated 12 tonnes of agricultural inputs and equipment. The military's retraining policy, adopted in May 2008, aims to train 1,000 people in five years. A previous collaboration installed 100 fish farmers, with 15 harvests yielding encouraging results.
Why it mattersMilitary personnel are being trained in agriculture and livestock to support food security and create jobs upon retirement.