Ouagadougou: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Sanitation, in collaboration with the Burkinabe Cycling Federation, announced the organization of a cycling race called the "Pedal for the Tree" to be held on June 29 in celebration of National Tree Day (JNA).
According to Burkina Information Agency, the announcement of the inaugural "Pedal for the Tree" was made by Barnab© Kabor©, Director General of Water and Forests and Vice-President of the JNA, during a press conference in Ouagadougou. The event will feature a cycling race on Thomas Sankara Avenue for both men's (elite) and women's categories. The men's elite race will cover 142.800 km, while the women's race will span 30.100 km.
The prize pool for the men's race is set at 1,660,000 FCFA, with the winner receiving 500,000 FCFA. Meanwhile, the women's competition will have a total prize of 350,000 FCFA, with 100,000 FCFA awarded to the first-place finisher. Additionally, all 90 cyclists from the 13 invited regions will receive a tree to plant.
Barnab© Kabor© emphasized that the primary objective of the "Pedal for the Tree" campaign is to galvanize athletes and sports enthusiasts towards forest restoration and urban greening. He highlighted the importance of creating enthusiasm among sportsmen for planting, mobilizing cycling enthusiasts for reforestation, and celebrating trees through the sport.
The head of the water and forestry corps further noted that this first edition of the event aims to foster a collaborative effort between the sporting community and the regreening of cities and avenues. The overarching goal of the JNA is to plant 20 million trees across Burkina Faso, enhancing the environment for sporting activities and promoting a greener landscape.