Members of the Inclusive Agribusiness Club (IAC) gathered in Ouagadougou on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, for a specialised workshop aimed at equipping entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools to access financing for their businesses.
The event forms part of the 2SCALE programme, designed to incubate and accelerate the growth of inclusive enterprises within African agri-food systems.
Financing remains a critical challenge for entrepreneurs across Burkina Faso’s agricultural value chains, covering production, processing, transport, distribution, and export. For many small-scale actors, including women and youth, securing capital is essential to achieving economic independence and contributing to the country’s socio-economic development.
“Entrepreneurs face difficulties related to money.
They don’t know where the funding is, even though resources exist.
Many businesses are unprepared to access credit, and their operations make it difficult for third parties to support them.
There is also a fragile understanding of business chains and a crisis of trust between entrepreneurs and financiers,” explained Nabi Issa Coulibaly, financial consultant and trainer at the workshop.
Coulibaly emphasised that the training would not only focus on understanding the financial landscape but also introduce participants to a variety of innovative funding sources beyond traditional credit.
“We aim to provide information, tools, and practical strategies so entrepreneurs can leverage new financing opportunities to grow their businesses,” he said.
The 2SCALE programme collaborates with African, Dutch, and other small and medium enterprises, as well as producer organisations, to develop inclusive business models and partnerships.
By fostering public-private partnerships, 2SCALE seeks to enhance food security, integrate small-scale producers, and support youth and women’s economic empowerment across agricultural value chains.
Amamatou Maïga, secretary-general of the Burkina Faso Federation of Agri-Food Industries (FIAB) and founder of Mama et Associés SARL, highlighted the importance of the workshop.
“Mobilising financial resources is one of our biggest challenges.
This training allows us to strengthen our capacities and discover innovative solutions to make our enterprises engines of sustainable development,” she said.
The IAC platform, launched during the 12th Agri-Food Day in 2023, continues to serve as a hub for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the promotion of diversity, equity, and sustainability across Burkina Faso’s agri-food sector.
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