Burundi-Value Chain Development Programme – Phase II (PRODEFI-II)

Increasing physical productive capital by increasing the resilience of production systems to climate change; intensifying crop and livestock farming to improve nutritional status; and structuring the milk and rice value chains to promote youth employment and strengthen the capacity of the actors -Throughout its first and second phases, PRODEFI has also constructed and improved over 420 km of rural roads. -In the dairy value chain, the project has established 29 milk collection centres with a capacity of 9,000 litres, equipped with refrigerated tanks and various equipment. 25 sale points have been erected around these collection centres. Three of the five planned mini-dairy units have been installed, each with a capacity of 1,500 litres/day -In the rice value chain, the main investments in post-harvest activities and in value addition are (1) the formation of 20 rice farming cooperatives, (2) the installation of drying infrastructure and equipment providing 7,500 m2 of new drying space and (3) the installation of storage facilities for a total capacity of 6,100 metric tons. The project has also set up two improved husking units with a capacity of 2 metric tons/hour and two mini-rice mills to increase quality. These investments have greatly improved the quality of rice. -Food losses in rice and dairy have been reduced by 20 per cent. -It is projected that interventions will increase the yearly revenues of the supported milk collection centres by between US$18,000 and US$50,000, depending on their capacity. -In the rice value chain, increased husking capacity has reduced losses and added value to 9,000 metric tons of rice per year, generating net annual revenues of US$140,550, amounting to an annual increase of US$122,746. -Interventions supported by the project are expected to lead to a 30 per cent increase in revenues for beneficiaries. -They are also expected to contribute to reducing chronic child malnutrition by 15 per cent and the rate of underweight children from 30 to 22 per cent. Project is ongoing, to get involved get in touch with IFAD's ASAP programme