The Louis Dreyfus Foundation opens its first agri-school in Ivory Coast

The school was officially inaugurated on October 31st in Niofoin village by the national and regional authorities of Ivory Coast and Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, the President of the Louis Dreyfus Foundation. More than 1,000 local people attended the ceremony, celebrating the fruitful cooperation between the Ivorian government, French Association Fert and the Louis Dreyfus Foundation.

The school was built by the Ivorian construction company from materials sourced from local suppliers. The new school has six buildings, i.e. a classroom, two boarding houses for girls and boys, a school office, a kitchen, and a house for the school staff. School’s infrastructure includes a newly installed water tank with a solar pump, solar panels, and latrines.

The school educational program has a solid general curriculum to enhance students’ knowledge in mathematics, computer science, economics and social studies as well as to develop their written and oral skills. Professional modules cover agronomy, soil science, crops cultivation, zoology and livestock, farm management and agricultural production. The acquired knowledge will be then tested in practice - on demonstration plots and on school small farms under the supervision of the school teachers.

The school inauguration marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter in socio-economic development for the region whose population entirely depends on agriculture for their livelihoods. “Through provision of quality education, the school will equip school children with agricultural knowledge and skills and facilitate professional integration of students after the graduation. Young adults would be thus capable to set up as farmers and contribute to the development of their communities”, said Robert Serpollet, General Manager of the Louis Dreyfus Foundation.