A team from the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) are in Bujumbura, Burundi, to support the evaluation of the Burundi-Rwanda Integrated Development Project (BRIDEP) and prepare the final proposal for submission to the African Development Bank’s Board of Directors through the Government of Burundi.

Dr. Christopher Suh, TAAT’s Country Engagement Officer for Central Africa, led the team, which comprised experts from Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, Maize value chains, Seed systems, and Digitalization. Representatives from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) also joined, covering the maize, rice, and livestock compacts.

The mission aimed to ensure that TAAT’s technical support is aligned with the expected outcomes of the BRIDEP project and to finalize preparations for its expanded implementation. Throughout the week-long mission, the team engaged in detailed discussions with Burundi government officials, national research institutions such as ISABU and ONCCS, project beneficiaries, and development partners.

These discussions covered a wide range of topics, from the project’s status to plans and were designed to assess the stakeholders’ needs and ensure that TAAT’s support would contribute effectively to the program’s success.

One of the key developments during the mission was transforming the project into a programme due to additional support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). This change introduced a new component focused on youth and women entrepreneurship, backed by USD 60 million from IFAD, and extended the program’s time-frame to 2030/2032.

The team also learned that a new province, Cariose, would be included in the program’s focus. With USD 56 million UC currently available, the program awaited further contributions from the CAW and the Burundi Government.

Discussions with stakeholders, including representatives from the University of Burundi, the Ministry of Agriculture, and private sector entities, centred on identifying their needs and aligning the program’s activities accordingly. This alignment process involved understanding the specific requirements of each stakeholder and adjusting the program’s activities to meet those needs.

However, budget limitations posed a significant challenge, as the Burundi Government expressed concerns over the financial demands from international institutions. Consequently, the team was advised to reduce the project budget and reconsider salary allocations to ensure the government’s comfort with the financial arrangements.

Throughout the mission, the team faced challenges in managing the various institutions’ differing priorities. Since some representatives were unfamiliar with the TAAT ecosystem, balancing the interests of organizations like IRRI, IITA, and ILRI—each competing for resources—proved difficult. These dynamics contributed to a higher-than-expected budget proposal, raising concerns among bank officers.

To address these challenges in future missions, the team recommended adopting a more strategic approach to coordination before and during visits. A unified strategy would help present a cohesive front when interacting with local partners and stakeholders, ensuring smoother negotiations and planning.

Several follow-up actions were identified as the mission concluded. Dr. Suh will lead efforts to finalize the proposal submission by December 2024. Rachel Zozo from TAAT was tasked with sharing the mission’s activity plans, targets, and budgets with compact leaders by April 2024. Additionally, Dr. Suh would ensure that TAAT’s value proposition was incorporated into the Aide Memoire.

The mission provided valuable insights and laid the foundation for an expanded BRIDEP Program, underscoring TAAT’s commitment to supporting agricultural transformation in Burundi by providing climate-resilient technologies and technical assistance.

The development objective of the BRIDEP project is to foster regional integration by improving agricultural production, cross-border transport links and trade facilitation.

Specifically, the project aims to increase productivity and production in priority agricultural value chains (maize, rice, pork, and poultry) by scaling up climate-smart agricultural technologies, promoting agro-industrialisation and job creation in targeted value chains, filling missing links and last-mile links, thereby promoting regional integration and trade; and reducing travel costs and enhancing road safety.