Press Release

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Marie K. Thompson
DATE: October 27, 2004

The Federation of African Agri-Input Trade Associations (FACIA) is Born

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, October 27, 2004—The Federation of African Agri-Input Trade Associations (FACIA) was created on October 7, 2004, in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), following the General Constitutive Assembly of October 5 and 6.

Twenty-seven national and sub-regional trade organizations representing about 5,000 professionals involved in the distribution of inputs, crop protection products (CPPs), seeds, and agricultural equipment of 14 West and Central African countries participated in this General Constitutive Assembly. In addition to the founding member associations, several representatives of diplomatic missions, national, regional and international institutions and other development partners were also present at the inaugural ceremony.

The Federation has the mission of “gathering African agri-input trade associations to improve the quality of their services, to strengthen the marketing of agri-inputs, to defend the interests of the members in order to contribute ultimately to food security and poverty reduction."

In the spirit of the Federation, the term "agri-inputs" means seeds, seedlings and certified tubers, CPPs, fertilizers and agricultural equipment; whereas, "trade" refers to any gainful activity of manufacturing, export, importation, packaging and re-packaging, wholesale, semi-wholesale and retail.

‘’Quality inputs for African farmers’’ is the motto of FACIA, which will be headquartered in Mali. This motto reflects the raison d’être of the Federation whose ultimate objective is the development of agriculture in Africa.

The activities to be implemented by the Federation during its first year of operation include the development and reinforcement of linkages with partners of the agri-input marketing sector; the representation of the private sector, and the defense of its interests in harmonizing agri-input regulations at the regional level; the development of information on the regional agri-input market; the training and professionalism of the members.

FACIA comprises two main bodies: the General Assembly and the Board of Directors. The first elected Board of Directors is composed of ten members having Mr. Amadou Moustapha Djigo of the Interprofessional National Union of Seeds of Senegal (UNIS), as Board Chair.

Mr. Djigo is committed to working for the realization of the mission of the Federation, making it active and dynamic and leading it toward a progressive autonomy. "The collaboration of all the stakeholders of the agri-input market is essential to make FACIA a key actor in the agricultural development of West and Central Africa," he declared.

As part of its efforts to strengthen partner organizations representing the agri-input private sector, the IFDC MIR Project (Marketing Inputs Regionally) has been providing support to the creation of FACIA since November 2003. IFDC is assisted by regional partners such as ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), WAEMU (West African Economic and Monetary Union), Croplife Africa Middle East (a Network representing the plant science industry), WASNET (West African Seed Network), AFSTA (African Seed Trade Association) and CILSS (Permanent Inter-States Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel).

FACIA Contacts
President, Mr. Amadou Moustapha Djigo,
Tel. / Fax: (221) 827 35 14
Mobile: (221) 569 75 49 / 634 58 99
Email: amdjigo@hotmail.com

IFDC—An International Center for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development—is a public, international organization (PIO), which was founded in 1974 to assist in the quest for global food security. The nonprofit Center’s mission is to increase agricultural productivity through the development and transfer of effective, environmentally sound plant nutrient technology and agricultural marketing expertise.

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