(Ecofin Agency) - In Côte d'Ivoire, as in most Sub-Saharan African countries, staple crops play a crucial role in food security. In the country, this category of agricultural products primarily includes grains, tubers, and horticultural products.

Care International kicked off the Sustainable Food Systems Strengthening Project in Côte d'Ivoire (PRESACI) on Tuesday in Abidjan, according to a government press release.

Funded by the European Union with €3.9 million ($4.3 million), PRESACI will run from 2024 to 2028. The project will be carried out in nine regions: Bélier, Gbêkê, Marahoué, Indénié-Djuablin, Lagunes, N’Zi, Poro, Tchologo, and Agnéby-Tiassa. Its goal is to boost the production of staple crops like vegetables, cassava, and plantains, and to make them more available both locally and internationally.

The project will focus on fostering inclusive agricultural practices, promoting sustainability, and improving access to farming resources, market information, and financial services for those involved.

This new initiative is set to build on existing efforts to improve food crop availability. Recent data shows a 10% increase in food crop harvests in 2023, reaching 22 million tons. The government attributes this rise to substantial investments from the National Agricultural Investment Program (PNIA), which runs from 2018 to 2025.