Burkina Faso to invest US$2.3M in new abattoir to boost meat industry, reduce exports
The country’s authorities have launched construction on a slaughterhouse in Ziniaré to improve meat processing as part of a broader strategy of improving the livestock and meat industry.
BURKINA FASO – Burkina Faso has begun constructing a US$2.3M slaughterhouse in Ziniaré, Plateau-Central region, as part of an initiative to develop its livestock and meat processing industry.
On March 18, Amadou Dicko, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Agriculture, officially launched the project, which covers 1.7 hectares.
Funding for the project is being drawn from the Regional Council’s Local Development Mining Fund.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, the first phase of construction, which includes setting up the slaughterhouse, is expected to be completed within six months.
The facility’s processing capacity has not yet been disclosed, but officials say the investment is aimed at improving the efficiency of livestock processing in the country.
Dicko stated that the project is expected to enhance meat quality and food safety while creating employment opportunities for young people.
He added that the government aims to process more livestock products domestically rather than exporting live animals, which would generate higher value for the local economy.
Sector Expansion Plans
The governor of the Plateau-Central region, Assetou Traoré, described the slaughterhouse as part of a larger initiative to expand the livestock and meat sector.
She noted that additional infrastructure, including facilities for processing meat, leather, and other livestock products, would be introduced over time to improve the industry’s structure.
Data from the National Institute of Statistics and Demography (INSD) shows that Burkina Faso’s live livestock exports have increased significantly in recent years.
Between 2019 and 2023, annual shipments of cattle, sheep, and goats rose from 581 tonnes to 3,746 tonnes, marking an average yearly growth rate of 59.3%.
This expansion aligns with the Burkinabe government’s “Agropastoral and Fisheries Offensive” program, which is focused on achieving food security between 2023 and 2025.
International Funding for Livestock and Agriculture
In September 2024, the World Bank, through its International Development Association (IDA), committed US$375 million to support the second phase of the Regional Project to Support Pastoralism in the Sahel (PRAPS 2).
Burkina Faso is among six beneficiary countries, alongside Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal.
Additionally, the Burkinabe government has approved a US$50 million credit agreement with the IDA to provide extra funding for PRAPS 2.
According to the Council of Ministers’ meeting minutes from September 25, the funds will be used to support small-scale producers struggling with food shortages.
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