Resilience and economic growth in the Sahel - Accelerated growth (REGIS-AG)

SNV Burkina implements the USAID-funded "Resilience and economic growth in the Sahel – Accelerated growth" (REGIS-AG) programme, supported by a consortium of partners in Niger and Burkina Faso.

REGIS-AG is part of USAID’s Resilience in the Sahel Enhanced (RISE) initiative; it is designed to increase incomes of vulnerable households by increasing the performance and inclusiveness of the cowpea, poultry and small ruminant value chains. Ultimately, REGIS-AG aims to increase resilience in targeted agro-pastoral and marginal agricultural zones of Niger and Burkina Faso.

Specific objectives :
- Improve the income of cowpea producers by 69%;
- Improve the incomes of small ruminants breeders by 38%;
- Improve the incomes of poultry farmers  by 60%.

Expected impacts
• Form 160 cowpea Economic Interest Groupings (EIG)  and facilitate their access to finance and market.
• Strengthen 480 groups of women of which 120 will receive intensive support and 40 others turned into EIG.
• Train 250 private agricultural traders to create a rural service platform.
• Create 7 animal health professionals networks including:
   7 private veterinarians;
   44 veterinary stores;
   233 community animal health workers and 65 poultry vaccinators.
• Facilitate access to credit ($ 6 million).
• Supporting community co-management of 25 livestock markets (in Niger and Burkina).

Programme approach:

REGIS-AG uses a facilitation approach, aiming to improve the functioning of a targeted system and catalyze systemic, sustainable change without becoming embedded in the system. Working out of two offices in Niamey and Zinder, Niger and two offices in Ouagadougou and Dori, Burkina Faso, the REGIS-AG team applies this approach to five main components:

Major components of the project:
1. Identify opportunities through analysis of the value chain and the end market.
2. Strengthen vertical and horizontal relationships in value chains
3. Strengthen the supply of inputs and other support services and improve access for small producers and agro-pastoralists in these interconnected markets.
4. Improve access to finance, innovation and private sector investment
5. Improve the enabling environment for local and regional private investment