Reclaiming an Old Partnership--Taiwan and Burkina Faso Make a Fresh Start at Bagre

Two years ago, at the Bagre Reclama-tion, the atmosphere was one of high tension and energy. There were explosions everywhere, and the air was filled with the smell of smoke. A war zone? Not at all! Instead, the water conservancy specialists of the ROC Agricultural Technical Mission (ATM) were clearing rocks to build an irrigation channels.

Today, the booms have been replaced by water gurgling, insects chirping, and birds singing. The clearly visible main channel winds its way as far as the eye can see. Neatly arranged farms hug both sides of the duct, and men and women work the fields. It is the very essence of bucolic rural contentment.

We set out from the water gate on the right side of the dam, and follow the road that parallels the main water channel into the reclamation area. Burkina Faso ATM leader Shen Twan-len points to the lush green fields on both sides and says: "Two years ago, this was all just wild grass and bushes."

Continuing on our journey a little farther on, the floodwater release of the Bagre Reservoir, which is currently dry, appears crosswise before us. The main channel suddenly disappears from one bank, popping out again on the other side of the road like an underground spring. ATM head Shen, darkened by exposure to the sun, says with pride in his voice: "This stretch in which the water flows underground is the most intricate piece of work in the Bagre Reclamation. It was the most difficult task of the entire project. But we finished it very quickly."

"Water seeks out the lowest point." That, in a nutshell, describes the main structural principle of the water conservancy project at the Bagre Reclamation. Water is released from the water gate and, using the natural force of gravity, flows into an impressive irrigation and drainage system. This system includes a 15-km long main trunk, 40 kilometers of branch channels, more than 100 kilometers of water supply and drainage pipes in the fields, and water gates to control the flow volume.

Rice waving in the wind

The single most important component of the agricultural cooperation plan between Taiwan and Burkina Faso is "helping Burkina Faso raise its rice paddy production by 30,000 metric tons within five years." With this target in mind, after the restoration of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries, an ROC agricultural inspection team arrived in Burkina Faso in February of 1994. It chose the right bank of the Nakambe River below the Bagre Dam as the reclamation area. Work was expected to start in 1995 to help Burkina Faso open up a total of 1000 hectares of paddy fields in five one-year stages. Also, plans were made to upgrade dry rice farming techniques on an additional 5000 hectares. In this way Taiwan would make good on its initial promise.

Looking at a map of Burkina Faso, you discover that the Nakambe is one of Burkina Faso's main rivers. It flows across the nation from northwest to southeast. Because it has a considerable flow volume, the government built a reservoir along its southeast segment, in the Bagre region, to put these extensive water resources to good use.

The dam at the Bagre Reservoir extends 4300 meters and is 30 meters high. It can hold up to 1.75 billion cubic meters of water, greater than the total volume of all the reservoirs in Taiwan.

The Bagre Reservoir serves the three functions of electric power generation, fish breeding, and irrigation. Before the current reclamation project got under way, the reservoir supplied all the capital city's electricity, and aquaculture had also begun, but the irrigation function had been untapped. Because of a lack of facilities, the surrounding area of nearly 10,000 hectares had never received any irrigation. In fact, when Bagre Reservoir was first built, water gates were placed on both sides of the dam, for channeling water resources to irrigate reclaimed land. Under these circumstances-in which "the ship was all set to put to sea, lacking only a strong wind"-the Burkina Faso government looked to the international community for help.

Left vs. right

As early as 1992, there were 11 international corporations willing to develop 2100 hectares on the left bank of the Nakambe, where reclamation work would be relatively easy. But, perhaps because multilateral cooperation is difficult to coordinate, it was only in September of 1997 that the first 600 hectares were formally opened for use.

Meanwhile, the ROC ATM had settled in on the right bank of the Nakambe. Though the soil was much harder, given the round-the-clock efforts of the ATM, work that was scheduled to take one year was completed within eight months. Despite getting a later start, the Taiwan project zoomed forward. Wet paddy field was opened hectare by hectare, and the project was widely praised by the Burkina Faso government and the local media, setting a firm foundation for continued bilateral cooperation.

ROC Ambassador to Burkina Faso Sainting Kung-noting that the first stage of the multinational project on the left bank, in which 600 hectares were opened up within 10 months, was much larger than the ROC-sponsored first stage-explains: "We were strongly praised not because our project was bigger or better, but because of the spirit and dedication of our ATM members."

ATM leader Shen points out that the area in which they were trying to construct irrigation channels for paddy fields was strewn with rocks and boulders. No one could say with confidence that the plan could be completed on schedule. Thus the mission worked on Saturdays and Sundays, and sometimes all night long under the light of vehicle headlights.

"Hey, sometimes it was actually more comfortable to work at night," laughs Shen. Because of the country's latitude and the impact of the Sahara desert, Burkina Faso is hot all year round, with temperatures above 30_ C in all seasons.

The rainy season lasts from June to October. The weather is nicest from November to January. During the hottest period, February to May, temperatures can reach 45_ C. "People are just plain being cooked out there," says technician Lu Juei-yuan.

The Bagre ATM members all wear broad-brimmed straw hats and long sleeve shirts to protect against sunburn, and always have a large bottle of water at their side to replenish bodily fluids.

Carrier mosquitoes rampant

"When it is hottest, the rate of malaria infection among team members and their families is low. Probably even the mosquitoes are killed off," says Liu Tzao-ming, one of the ATM members.

In Bagre, malaria is a common affliction. There are usually two or three team members or dependents suffering from malaria at any given time.

Shen says with deep emotion that the most difficult aspect of agricultural cooperation between Taiwan and Burkina Faso is not the arduous engineering work, but the brutal environment. He adds: "In the past I was in the Ivory Coast for half a year, and didn't take any malaria preventative, but that would be unwise in Bagre. There's no avoiding being bitten by an infectious mosquito here."

Because the reclamation area abuts the Bagre Reservoir, there are hordes of mosquitoes, and the concentration of carriers is extremely high.

Carrier mosquitoes are most active from evening until sunup the next morning, so ATM members avoid going out after dark as much as possible. Houses have screen windows and doors; indeed, they usually have two screen doors, so mosquitoes can't get in when people go in and out of the building. Mosquito netting is essential when sleeping; some people use two layers. Inside the house mosquito-repelling incense is burned to chase off intruders, and air conditioners are kept on to reduce the level of activity of any carriers. Anyone going out uses mosquito repellent spray or lotion. Yet, no matter how careful one is, it is virtually inevitable that one will be bitten by a carrier mosquito.

Those infected with malaria still have to keep working, which they do by taking medication. What about bedrest? "No way, not unless it gets so bad you have to go in to the hospital," says Ko Yu-shu, who was himself hospitalized after getting malaria. Everyone feels a very strong sense of responsibility toward the project, so even those who get malaria don't rest.

Rolling stones

After the completion of the irrigation channels and agricultural roads comes the reclaiming of the land itself and the construction of paddy walls around the fields. With that, reclamation is complete.

As we enter the reclamation area, we see small rocks laid out in neat piles by the side of the road.

ATM leader Shen explains that some of the land in the reclamation area is of poor quality. The soil is very rocky, making planting of paddy rice difficult, so the land must be cleared to a depth of at least 20 centimeters. Though large stones can be dug up with heavy machinery, small stones have to be removed by hand as they are uncovered during plowing. Found stones are piled by the roadside, and they can later be used for building of irrigation channels or rice drying grounds. This is really a case of "waste not, want not."

After stones are cleared, green fertilizer is immediately used to improve soil quality.

Back in March of 1996, the first year in which land was opened up, the ATM planted the Taichung Hsien #10 rice strain, and harvested after 120 days. The plump and full rice-grain clusters glistened golden in the sunlight, and production volume was eight metric tons per hectare. It was the most productive rice strain in the entire area.

The third phase of the project began this year. Two-thirds of the area has been completed. Right now the largest job is to make an aqueduct to get the main irrigation channel over a small stream. After getting by the stream, it will be necessary to speed up the work and level the ground to get ready for planting.

Transplanting the "Taiwan experience"

Shen says that the Burkina Faso government has been cooperating very closely with the plan. After the first phase was completed in June of 1995, they immediately recruited 20 farmers, giving each 0.5 hectares of land. The ATM members taught them how to plant paddy rice. Using Taichung #10 rice, which has a short growth period and high yield, the yield of the first harvest was as high as 5-6 metric tons per hectare.

At the end of 1996, the Burkina Faso government recruited a second group of 230 farmers, and gave each one hectare. As of today, there have been three harvests at the reclamation area, with yields of between five and six metric tons per hectare.

There is plenty of sunshine in Burkina Faso, and crops grow quickly. The growing period is only four months, and each stalk can produce 190-220 kernels. The growing time is shorter and the number of kernels higher than in Taiwan. If farmers use animal waste as basic fertilizer, and then use some stalk compost, and the tasks of field management and weeding are done well, it would be no problem to raise the yield of each hectare by 2-3 metric tons.

Shen has observed that local farmers are avid learners. So during the off-season, the ATM offers training to farmers, imparting farm management concepts and also teaching them how to raise chickens and fish.

All local households raise cattle, and Shen hopes to one day put this beastly power to use so that, like the farmers of the Kou River Reclamation, the Bagre farmers can use their cattle to plow and plant. He has already begun with animal feed, teaching farmers to plant sweet potatoes and to feed the cattle with the leaves. The sweet potatoes serve as a staple for human consumption, to boot.

It is hoped that the comprehensive transfer of agricultural experience can make Bagre into a success story similar to that of the Kou River Reclamation, so that even after the development plan comes to an end, the farmers can carry on with wet paddy cultivation independently.

Fields of dreams

Although the level of production of wet paddy rice in the reclamation area is good, because there is limited land there, Taiwan experts also are working to help upgrade dryland rice cultivation.

Shen explains why, to increase rice production, the main focus must be on dryland cultivation: The costs of reclaiming land for paddy are high, and water resources are limited. Meanwhile, Burkina Faso has a lot of land, and developing dryland rice can have an immediate impact in terms of raising food supply. Thus dryland rice is one of the main areas of emphasis of the Burkina Faso government's agricultural policy.

The target of the ATM is to help the Burkina Faso government increase rice production by 30,000 metric tons within five years. With 1000 hectares of paddy fields, each producing five metric tons per harvest, and two harvests per year, the total yield will be 10,000 metric tons. The remaining 20,000 will come from dryland cultivation. With one harvest per year, and about 4 metric tons per hectare, there will have to be 5000 hectares of new dryland cultivation.

Currently the ATM subsidizes the Burkina Faso government with 70,000 West African francs (about US$130) per hectare. The Burkina Faso Ministry of Agriculture finds the land, does the planning, surveys and maps the area, reclaims the land, and organizes the farmers. After this is completed, the newly opened dryland rice fields are turned over to the ATM. When the ATM is satisfied, extension work can begin. Records of the extension process, harvest, and so on are kept, typed, collated, and published by the Burkina Faso government.

In 1995 and 1996, the ATM helped bring 300 and 800 hectares into cultivation, respectively, through agricultural extension work. It is expected that another 10,000 hectares will be finished by June of 1998.

Ambassador Kung avers: "It goes almost without saying that the ATM members have worked very hard. In addition, other factors that have allowed the program to proceed smoothly have been the active participation of the people of Burkina Faso and the cooperation of the relevant agencies of the government and the Bagre Reservoir Authority."

Take the following example: At the completion of the engineering projects for the first and second phases, there were already farmers in place. Though the government of Burkina Faso has little money, it still allocated 218 million West African francs (about US$400,000) to provide basic infrastructure for the reclamation area. This included construction of two villages, schools, a clinic, offices, warehouses, deep wells, and so on. The assistance provided by the Bagre Reservoir Authority in terms of housing, water, electricity, and administration has greatly facilitated the work of the ATM.

Full government support

"Because the Burkina Faso government trusts us very much, it has been very cooperative, and it is a pleasure to work with them. In such a benign environment, the progress of the program has been smooth," says the ATM's Shen.

Another ace in the hole for the ATM has been the dedication of the local workers employed. Workers in Burkina Faso have a strong sense of responsibility, and haven't shirked on any of the ATM's demands in terms of time or rate of progress. ATM members who have served in a number of countries are effusive in their praise of the workers and farmers of Burkina Faso.

The president of Burkina Faso personally visited the Bagre Reclamation, and follows the progress of agricultural land reclamation very closely.

Moreover, last September 6, President Campaore, accompanied by the current minister of agriculture and two former ministers of agriculture, feted the members of the ROC ATM, to thank them for the help provided to Burkina Faso in the Bagre Reclamation project.

The dinner hosted by the president was a real shot in the arm for the weary ATM members. But what keeps them going day in and day out is seeing barren land turn to rice-growing villages, seeing the fruits of the farmers' labors, and helping solve the problem of food supply.

It looks like the land of Africa, so often portrayed as dry and windblown, is actually very fertile. It has just been waiting for an opportunity to yield its bounty, and that opportunity has now been provided-by the Taiwan experts who understand the land, in cooperation with the Burkina Faso farmers who work it.

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Plowing with mules is a common sight in Burkina Faso.

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Workers in Burkina Faso are hard-working and have a strong sense of responsibility. They are one of the main reasons the Bagre Reclamation project has gone so smoothly. The photo shows work on irrigation channels.

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The reclamation project is given attention at the highest levels of government in Burkina Faso. President Blaise Compaore (at center, in the long robe) and ministers have often visited the site. ROC Ambassador Sainting Kung is standing at left, while ATM leader Shen Twan-len is the one explaining the project. (photo courtesy of the ROC ATM in Burkina Faso)

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Harvest time has arrived, and all the arduous effort has produced golden fields of joy. (photo courtesy of the ROC ATM in Burkina Faso)

Plowing with mules is a common sight in Burkina Faso.

Workers in Burkina Faso are hard-working and have a strong sense of responsibility. They are one of the main reasons the Bagre Reclamation project has gone so smoothly. The photo shows work on irrigation channels.

The reclamation project is given attention at the highest levels of government in Burkina Faso. President Blaise Compaore （at center, in the long robe） and ministers have often visited the site. ROC Ambassador Sainting Kung is standing at left, while ATM leader Shen Twan-len is e one explaining the project. （photo courtesy of the ROC ATM in Burkin a Faso）

Harvest time has arrived, and all the arduous effort has produced golden fields of joy. （photo courtesy of the ROC ATM in Burkina Faso）