Ouagadougou: Retired agricultural researcher Dr. Jacob Sanou expressed his greatest satisfaction upon witnessing the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traor©, in a wheat field. This moment symbolized, for him, the expansion and sustainability of this strategic crop in Burkina Faso.
According to Burkina Information Agency, Dr. Sanou shared his thoughts during an interview with the monthly Carrefour Africain on July 15, which was published online on Monday. A research master in agronomy and breeder of various cereal and fruit plant varieties, Dr. Sanou devoted nearly forty years to agricultural research, focusing on wheat to contribute to food self-sufficiency in the country.
Dr. Sanou emphasized the importance of wheat in the Burkinabe diet, stating, "The most consumed food by Burkinabe is bread. If you go to the countryside without a baguette, the children will look at you like an alien." Despite encountering resistance at the start of his research, he believes that current political support has rejuvenated interest in this crop.
Dr. Sanou, now the rector of Aube Nouvelle University in Bobo-Dioulasso, recounted his relief when the Ministry of Agriculture pledged support for growing wheat. "As soon as we planted the first hectare, I was sure it would work," he said, expressing confidence in the bright future of wheat cultivation in Burkina Faso.