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Demonstrating an extraordinary spirit of support and solidarity for agricultural research and the West African Agricultural Productivity Program (PPAA0), eight (08) Ministers took part on Monday, November 12, 2018, in the opening ceremony of the biannual meeting of PPAAO's main stakeholders.

Seven countries participating in the WAPP (Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo) are currently meeting in Niamey (Niger) to assess the state of project implementation. They will also agree on the overall performance to be improved in order to accelerate the implementation of the expected results.

Read the full speech by Mr Mohamed Boucha, Minister Delegate to the Minister of State, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, in charge of Livestock in Niger.

At the official inauguration of the event, Mr. Mohamed Boucha, Minister Delegate to the Minister of State and Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Niger, led the delegation of eight additional ministers. They included

• Amhamet Jidou, Deputy Minister of Finance, in charge of the budget ;
• Mme Kaffa Rakiatou Christelle Jackou, Minister for the Civil Service and Administrative Reform;
• Magagi Haouan, Minister for Humanitarian Action and Disaster Management ;
• Mrs Aminor Moumouni, Minister of Energy ;
• Sadou Seydou, Minister of Trade and Promotion of the Private Sector ;
• Hassan Barazzé, Minister of Mines;
• Mallam Zaneidou Amirou, Minister of Industry.

"We couldn't be prouder to have been honored by the presence of so many government ministers. This shows not only the importance of agricultural research and development for the Niger government, but also the many positive results of the impact of the WAPP in West Africa," says Dr Abdulai Jalloh, Director of Research and Innovation at CORAF, the organization responsible for implementing the WAPP in West Africa.

The PPAAO was initiated in 2008 by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Thirteen (13) West African states are participating in the program, with the main aim of improving productivity through the use of agricultural technologies and innovations.

In addition, the program is financed by countries through a loan system obtained from the World Bank. The West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF) is responsible for regional implementation.

As the program enters its tenth year, data shows that around 9 million people have benefited from the program, and 56 million have been reached indirectly.