For the first time since the construction of the Gourgou dam in 2016, agricultural activities have officially begun on the irrigated plain. During a visit to the site on March 2, 2026, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Commander Ismaël SOMBIÉ, noted the effective launch of operations on the 35-hectare perimeter, now developed by more than 200 producers.
On March 2, 2026, the Minister of State, Minister of Agriculture, Water, Animal and Fisheries Resources, Commander Ismaël SOMBIÉ, made a field visit to the irrigated plain of Gourgou, located in the province of Boulgou, in the Nakambé region.
This mission confirmed the effective start of agricultural activities on this site. Since the dam was completed in 2016, the hydraulic structure, with a capacity of 2,520,000 m³ of water, had remained largely underutilised despite the existence of a 35-hectare irrigated area offering significant production potential.
Long-untapped potential
Commander Ismaël SOMBIÉ on a field visit to the irrigated plain of Gourgou
According to the Regional Director of Agriculture for Nakambé region, Aimé Germain TRAORÉ, the underuse of this infrastructure represented a considerable loss of revenue for local agricultural production and for national efforts to achieve food sovereignty. Faced with this situation, the ministry’s technical services, on the instructions of the Minister of State, undertook a series of actions aimed at making the site fully operational. These interventions included the development of the irrigated perimeter and the mobilization of producers around the operation of the site.
Goal: zero unused irrigated land
“The ministry’s objectives in this area are clear. We must achieve zero unused irrigated land.” To date, more than 200 producers are already established on the irrigated plain and benefit from technical support from agricultural services. The authorities’ ambition is to establish continuous agricultural production there, making full use of existing infrastructure.
Since its completion in 2016, the dam, with a capacity of 2,520,000 m³ of water, has remained largely under-exploited, despite an irrigated area of 35 hectares with high agricultural potential.
Towards a global revival of agricultural development
The Regional Director also indicated that, on the instructions of the Minister of State, measures have been taken to restart operations in all irrigated areas and lowlands in the region. Through this initiative, the ministry aims to optimize the use of hydro-agricultural facilities built with public funds. The goal is to increase national production, improve producers’ incomes, and sustainably strengthen Burkina Faso’s food sovereignty.
Patricia Fourouwié Aissa COULIBALY
