Bobo-dioulasso: The Coordination Unit of the Integrated Development Program of the Samendeni Valley (PDIS), under the new leadership of Coordinator Ibrahim BELEM, is intensifying its efforts to transform the Samendeni Valley into a significant economic hub in Burkina Faso. With the commissioning of a dam holding 1 billion 50 million cubic meters of water and a mini hydroelectric power plant generating 2.74 megawatts, the initiative is now expanding its focus to include tourism, agro-industry, and hydro-agricultural advancements.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the dam, inaugurated in 2019, has created a water body spanning 150 km², presenting strong potential for socio-economic growth. Seydou OUATTARA, the technical manager of PDIS, highlights that the project extends beyond electricity production, encompassing support for fishing, fish farming, and various other profitable activities.
In this context, Jean Bernard KORBEOGO, a fish farmer and member of the Houet fish farming promoters cooperative, shared his experience: "At the beginning, it wasn't easy, but today everyone harvests more than a ton of tilapia. It's a real opportunity for us."