In a powerful shift from the battlefield to the farmlands, Burkina Faso’s 2nd Military Region has redeployed soldiers wounded in combat to lead agricultural and livestock operations at Camp Ouezzin Coulibaly, as part of the Presidential Initiative for Agricultural Production and Food Self-Sufficiency.
Spanning seven hectares, the site — developed with support from the National Office of Major Projects of Burkina (BN-GPB) — is now home to pineapple, soybean, and wheat cultivation, alongside poultry, pig, sheep, and fish farming.
The initiative reflects the country’s broader mission to attain food sovereignty while reintegrating war veterans into national development efforts.
“On this site, we have agricultural production and a livestock section. In terms of livestock, we have small ruminants, pigs, and also poultry.
Regarding the agricultural site, we currently have two hectares of soybeans and one hectare of pineapples.
The other four hectares currently being developed are intended for growing wheat.
We are also switching to market gardening,” explained Colonel Lassané Porgo, Commander of the 2nd Military Region.
The livestock section includes a seven-head pigsty with dedicated pens for sows, piglets, and boars, a poultry facility, a fish farm, and enclosures for sheep and goats.
The agricultural side features 60,000 pineapple plants, expected to mature over a 14-month cycle, as well as ongoing preparations for wheat fields and additional garden crops.
Colonel Porgo emphasized that the project is staffed mainly by soldiers injured in military operations, who have undergone vocational training in farming and animal husbandry through BN-GPB.
“We redeploy soldiers wounded in operations here after training them. The goal is to provide them with qualifications and enable them to further contribute to the country’s development through production.
Because they fought for the country, they were injured. We must not abandon them under the pretext that they can no longer be deployed.
The production from this site is primarily intended for the FDS and the organizations that prepare their meals,” he stated.
This effort is part of a larger strategy to bolster national resilience, as Burkina Faso aims to reduce reliance on food imports and empower its citizens — including its wounded heroes — to lead the charge toward sustainable self-sufficiency.
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