The Horticulture in West AfricaThe Horticulture in West Africa

Advantages and ConstraintsAdvantages and Constraints

Development of an irrigated horticulture industry Development of an irrigated horticulture industry in West Africa is based on the following in West Africa is based on the following determinants: determinants:

1.1. Market availability and access to marketsMarket availability and access to markets

2.2. Human capacity Human capacity

3.3. Production management Production management

4.4. Irrigation technologyIrrigation technology

5.5. Business services Business services

6.6. Policy and institutional environment Policy and institutional environment

1. Markets1. MarketsIn recent years a very large tomatoes for export In recent years a very large tomatoes for export industry has been developed in Burkina Faso industry has been developed in Burkina Faso resulting from the initiative by Ghana importers, resulting from the initiative by Ghana importers, with very little inputs by the official sector with very little inputs by the official sector

In the January-April period about 30 track-loads In the January-April period about 30 track-loads of tomatoes (about 600 tons) cross the border to of tomatoes (about 600 tons) cross the border to Ghana on a daily basisGhana on a daily basis

As a result thousands of young entrepreneurs are producing tomatoes near lake Yako using the most primitive irrigation technologies

Access to marketsAccess to marketsRegular train service between Burkina and Regular train service between Burkina and Ivory Coast encouraged the development of Ivory Coast encouraged the development of perishable vegetables exports from Bobo perishable vegetables exports from Bobo Dioulassou to AbidjanDioulassou to Abidjan

In West Africa there is a huge underexploited In West Africa there is a huge underexploited regional market for vegetablesregional market for vegetables

For example:For example:

Tomatoes Onions Hot Peppers

Potatoes

75,000 43,000 3,800 1,800

Annual Volume (tons) of Imports of Four Annual Volume (tons) of Imports of Four Vegetable Species to Benin (2006)Vegetable Species to Benin (2006)

Expansion of the regional vegetables export is constrained by Expansion of the regional vegetables export is constrained by limited vision of governments and development agencies. limited vision of governments and development agencies. For exampleFor example• In both Burkina Faso and Niger new World Bank financed In both Burkina Faso and Niger new World Bank financed programs for development of horticulture exports in the region programs for development of horticulture exports in the region focus in the promotion of existing “institutionalized" products like focus in the promotion of existing “institutionalized" products like onions. In Burkina no attention is given to official promotion of onions. In Burkina no attention is given to official promotion of tomatoes exports because its development was not “sanctioned” tomatoes exports because its development was not “sanctioned” by the establishment. In Niger there is huge potential for by the establishment. In Niger there is huge potential for exportation of watermelons and peppers to Nigeria and of exportation of watermelons and peppers to Nigeria and of tomatoes and hot peppers (both fresh and dry) to Both Benin and tomatoes and hot peppers (both fresh and dry) to Both Benin and Nigeria Nigeria • Senegal due to the mild climate and easy sea access to Senegal due to the mild climate and easy sea access to neighboring tropical countries could become the major regional neighboring tropical countries could become the major regional exporter of vegetables to the region. Instead Senegal is exporter of vegetables to the region. Instead Senegal is concentrating all its efforts on exports to Europe-a highly concentrating all its efforts on exports to Europe-a highly competitive market with strict regulations on produce qualitycompetitive market with strict regulations on produce quality

Development of any viable export industry Development of any viable export industry should start with the market-not with the should start with the market-not with the products-not that a country is already products-not that a country is already producing producing

The Israeli horticulture exports industry is an The Israeli horticulture exports industry is an example of this latter approach example of this latter approach

• When the profitability of the flowers-for exports When the profitability of the flowers-for exports diminished Israel exports shifted to vegetables, diminished Israel exports shifted to vegetables, herbs and fruitherbs and fruit

• When dates producers realized that the variety When dates producers realized that the variety Medjhul fetches much higher prices than existing Medjhul fetches much higher prices than existing varieties, all these varieties were replaced by varieties, all these varieties were replaced by MedjhulMedjhul

2. Human capacity2. Human capacity

West African farmers do not know how to West African farmers do not know how to properly produce irrigated vegetables properly produce irrigated vegetables

Why? Why?

Because there is no one there to teach them Because there is no one there to teach them

The number of good vegetables production The number of good vegetables production technicians in West Africa is extremely limited technicians in West Africa is extremely limited

Capacity building of both technicians and farmers Capacity building of both technicians and farmers should be first priority in any irrigated horticulture should be first priority in any irrigated horticulture activity in West Africa activity in West Africa

Year 1 Year 2

Set up costs

Capacity building

Capacity building

9,000 11,000 8,500

Ratio capacity building/set up-2.1

Set up and capacity building costs (USD) for a one hectare AMG in Niger using artesian wateras proposed by ICRISAT to a donor

Training small producers on vegetables seeds multiplication

Training on vegetables nursery

Training regional technicians on drip irrigation

Each year ICRISAT conducts about 10 “on Each year ICRISAT conducts about 10 “on station” training courses on various aspects of the station” training courses on various aspects of the horticulture industry and up to 100 “on farm” horticulture industry and up to 100 “on farm” courses but these are just a “drop in a bucket of courses but these are just a “drop in a bucket of water” water”

Follow up is a very important component of Follow up is a very important component of capacity building. The high success rate of the capacity building. The high success rate of the AMG project in Senegal (called TIPA) is a direct AMG project in Senegal (called TIPA) is a direct result of a tight and long term follow-up strategy result of a tight and long term follow-up strategy

3. Production Management3. Production Management

Based on a survey of 20 vegetables producers Based on a survey of 20 vegetables producers around Niamey a protocol for a “traditional” around Niamey a protocol for a “traditional” vegetables garden management was developed. vegetables garden management was developed.

Vegetables production using an Vegetables production using an improved improved management management package was compared with the package was compared with the “traditional” practice. “traditional” practice.

The differences between the Improved The differences between the Improved Management and the Traditional System were Management and the Traditional System were mostly in the amount of manure and fertilizer mostly in the amount of manure and fertilizer applliedappllied

Set up and production costs were similar for both Set up and production costs were similar for both systems systems

Return to land

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

Lettuce Okra Tomato Eggplant

US$

/m2

Improved Management

Farmer practice

Fresh fruit yield

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Lettuce Okra Eggplant Tomato

kg/m

2

Improved Management

Farmer practice

4. Irrigation Technologies 4. Irrigation Technologies Horticulture production is an integrated system Horticulture production is an integrated system incorporating many factors such as crop management, incorporating many factors such as crop management, varietal selection, post harvest treatment etc. Water varietal selection, post harvest treatment etc. Water supply is just one component of the production system supply is just one component of the production system and solving the problem of water supply will not have and solving the problem of water supply will not have any significant effectany significant effect if the other elements are not if the other elements are not attended to. No silver bullets attended to. No silver bullets

Water supply using manual pumps and hand carried Water supply using manual pumps and hand carried watering cans are labor intensive and restrict the small watering cans are labor intensive and restrict the small producer to very small perimeters. Releasing producers producer to very small perimeters. Releasing producers from the burden of manual water delivery by using drip from the burden of manual water delivery by using drip irrigation will allow them to operate a much larger field irrigation will allow them to operate a much larger field significantly increasing their net revenues. significantly increasing their net revenues.

The poorer the producer is the more important is the The poorer the producer is the more important is the reliability of the water supply and the irrigation reliability of the water supply and the irrigation equipment because poor farmers are unable to or equipment because poor farmers are unable to or reluctant to replace damaged equipment. Pumps must reluctant to replace damaged equipment. Pumps must not break and irrigation equipment should last for many not break and irrigation equipment should last for many years. Please do not go for cheap “affordable” systems years. Please do not go for cheap “affordable” systems as advocated by some US NGOs (I once did this as advocated by some US NGOs (I once did this mistake by buying an affordable Reno assembled in mistake by buying an affordable Reno assembled in Romania-it lasted two months)Romania-it lasted two months)Go for large perimeters Go for large perimeters particularlyparticularly for the poorest for the poorest farmers, using reliable, minimal-labor water delivery farmers, using reliable, minimal-labor water delivery equipment such as solar pumps. Purchasing cost of equipment such as solar pumps. Purchasing cost of these pumps are much higher but they will assure these pumps are much higher but they will assure sustainability and high income.sustainability and high income.And last I would like to emphasize that factors such as And last I would like to emphasize that factors such as market driven crops diversification, product quality and market driven crops diversification, product quality and year round production are much more important for theyear round production are much more important for the profitabilityprofitability of the horticulture industry than the of the horticulture industry than the irrigation system that is usedirrigation system that is used

5. Business Services 5. Business Services (value chains etc)(value chains etc) The value chain of the vegetables industry in not well The value chain of the vegetables industry in not well developed. This includes:developed. This includes:• Ready supply of quality seedsReady supply of quality seeds• Ready supply of irrigation equipment (including pumps) Ready supply of irrigation equipment (including pumps) and spare parts and spare parts • Availability of fertilizers, particularly soluble fertilizers Availability of fertilizers, particularly soluble fertilizers • Availability of storage facilities particularly for onions Availability of storage facilities particularly for onions and potatoes and potatoes • Marketing chains Marketing chains • Processing industries Processing industries • Good roads and harassment in roads by government Good roads and harassment in roads by government officialsofficialsSome of these services are increasingly available in Some of these services are increasingly available in Senegal that is leading the region in horticulture Senegal that is leading the region in horticulture development but even there they have a long way to godevelopment but even there they have a long way to go

6. Policy and Institutional Environment6. Policy and Institutional Environment I I have comments on two elements (subsidies and research) under have comments on two elements (subsidies and research) under this topicthis topic6.1. Whenever African governments want to encourage new 6.1. Whenever African governments want to encourage new industries and services such as tourism or tele-communications industries and services such as tourism or tele-communications they find it naturally to heavily subsidize the Hiltons and the they find it naturally to heavily subsidize the Hiltons and the Oranges of this world Oranges of this world But why are so many demanding from farmers-the poorest of the But why are so many demanding from farmers-the poorest of the poor to fully finance agriculture development? poor to fully finance agriculture development? 6.2. Research is needed to improve the quality of the local 6.2. Research is needed to improve the quality of the local vegetables varieties and to develop varieties that are adapted to vegetables varieties and to develop varieties that are adapted to the climate and soils of dry Africathe climate and soils of dry AfricaResearch is needed to develop low cost storage facilities for Research is needed to develop low cost storage facilities for onions and potatoesonions and potatoesIn other words research is needed to solve region-specific In other words research is needed to solve region-specific problems problems A research component should be incorporated into each new A research component should be incorporated into each new program on irrigated horticulture developmentprogram on irrigated horticulture development

Conclusions Conclusions • In West Africa there is a very big potential for irrigated In West Africa there is a very big potential for irrigated horticulture productionhorticulture production•This potential can be materialized only if one takes a This potential can be materialized only if one takes a holistic approach with emphasis on utilization of the vast holistic approach with emphasis on utilization of the vast regional market, in diversification of exported products, regional market, in diversification of exported products, in capacity building of all players, in provision of in capacity building of all players, in provision of business services and on irrigation technologies that business services and on irrigation technologies that should lead to increased productivity while reducing the should lead to increased productivity while reducing the labor load currently used for water delivery labor load currently used for water delivery • Small scale irrigated horticulture can, better than any Small scale irrigated horticulture can, better than any other agricultural activity, lift a substantial number of other agricultural activity, lift a substantial number of small farmers of the Sahel out of povertysmall farmers of the Sahel out of poverty

Where there is a will there is a wayWhere there is a will there is a way

Thank You