Enhanced Microfinance Services and Agricultural Best Management Practices

We analysed the impact of the crop production intensification credit on the size of plots, the yield and production, the food available in the household and finally, the sale of cowpeas and maize. [...] The provinces of Nahouri and Ziro in southern Burkina Faso and the provinces of Zondoma and Passoré in northern Burkina Faso were the sites of the project (See Figure 2 and Appendix 1). [...] To qualify for CIPA, the borrowers had to deposit the equivalent of 15% of the value of the loan in the PO's account to create a mutual credit guaranty fund. [...] Finally, in the event of non-compliance of one member with the grant conditions, the PO is authorized to exploit that member’s plot to ensure the full repayment of the loan and protect the assets of the other members. [...] Two elements are important in the operationalization of the intervention in the field: the commune and the producers' organizations (PO).