News

Under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER), FIRCA has successfully implemented the West African Agricultural Productivity Program(WAAPP) in Côte d'Ivoire over the period from September 2011 to December 2016.

Among these activities, the project to produce compound bread from local flours (corn, cassava and plantain), imported from Senegal as part of inter-country cooperation under the PPAAO/WAAPP, was successfully carried out in collaboration with private-sector players. As a result, at the end of the PPAAO/WAAPP program, private operators continue to perpetuate the production of local flour and composite bread in several localities across the country, including Abidjan, Bonoua, Aboisso and Abengourou.

In Bonoua, Mr. KOUAKOU KONAN Denis, ex. Accountant in a local company, has decided to devote himself to processing local products since 2013. "Following my meeting in 2016 with FIRCA, the WWAAP/WWAAP coordination unit, I adopted the technology of producing corn flour for use in bakery and pastry-making in order to diversify my processing activities. With around 1 tonne of maize grain per month, I produce 700 kg of maize flour per month, which I deliver to bakeries in Aboisso, Abengourou and Abidjan," he explains.

We met with a number of bakers, who shared their satisfaction with us. Mrs. KACOU Jocelyne, manager of a bakery in Abidjan's popular Yopougon district, shares her enthusiasm with us: "I'm delighted that my customers have been adopting wheat-corn composite bread since 2013. Our daily production of composite bread is always sold with satisfaction. We would like to express our gratitude to FIRCA, the World Bank and the government of Côte d'Ivoire for this wonderful initiative, which makes quality products available to consumers".

In Abengourou and Aboisso, bakery and confectionery managers have been won over by the quality of corn flour, and have systematically adopted it. Bread retailers and consumers will not deny it. For them, wheat-corn composite bread not only tastes better, but also has a positive impact on health. "Wheat-corn bread is part of my family's 2013 menu. It's very good for your health, because it's easy to digest, and it helps prevent belly bloating. In any case, I recommend it to everyone," says a consumer.

In addition to product quality, the use of corn flour enables bakers and confectioners to improve their production and income both quantitatively and qualitatively.

In view of the advantages of compound bread, the outlook is brighter for the local product processing sector, and specifically for the production of bakery and pastry products in Côte d'Ivoire.