Louis Dreyfus Foundation launches new project in Cote d’Ivoire

Louis Dreyfus Foundation has launched the project in partnership with World Food Program (WFP) to support 2,000 women smallholder farmers in northern Côte d'Ivoire for three years.

The project’s primary objective is to contribute to improving food security, as well as the revenue of smallholder women farmers through more efficient and inclusive value chains, sustainable food systems and capacity building. 
The project will focus on women empowerment through helping them to be better organized and linking them with new markets. As part of the project, women will receive trainings on basic literacy skills, good hygiene and nutrition practices from WFP and its partners. The project will equally support the national school feeding program.

WFP Cote d’Ivoire Representative Adeyinka Badejo highlighted the importance of this partnership, noting that "the contribution will have a significant impact on women farmers in rural areas, who are the backbone of the rural economy. This contribution will enable WFP and its partners to assist these women farmers in improving their food and nutrition security and increasing their incomes. The adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices and the use of post-harvest management techniques will promote sustainable food systems and reduce food losses. Such partnerships will help countries make real progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. "

Ludovic M'Bahia Ble, the Country Manager of the Louis Dreyfus Company in Cote d’Ivoire and spokesperson of the Foundation in Cote d’Ivoire, also emphasized the holistic approach of the project. He commented that “the country is currently experiencing strong economic growth which is mostly driven by the agricultural sector. Along with the diversification of income sources for participating families and livelihoods improvement, the project will help to link these farmers with markets and ensure they benefit from the existing market opportunities.”

Louis Dreyfus Foundation and WFP have been longstanding partners since 2014. LDF has been working with WFP to build the capacity of small-scale farmers in South Sudan, Uganda, and Mali to improve food security and community health, access to markets and reduce post-harvest losses.

Photo credit: WFP