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The Confederation of Agricultural Producers’ Associations for Development (CAPAD) was initiated by groups of farmers and livestock breeders in rural areas who had been working together since 2000. It strengthens the capacities of peasant organizations to help increase agricultural production and improve living conditions in rural settings. Nearly 108 agricultural production cooperatives, representing approximately 108,000 family farming households, collaborate with CAPAD.
Burundi is a small, landlocked country (27,834 km²) that is densely populated (approximately 10.5 million inhabitants and 403 inhabitants/km²). Agriculture employs 90% of the population and contributes 50% to the national GDP. Arable land is becoming increasingly scarce. Under these conditions, poverty is primarily rural (71.1%) and essentially affects smallholder farmers.
The bulk of the country’s agricultural production in terms of rice, cassava, and maize is consumed by the producers themselves. It is generally considered that in Burundi, agriculture’s contribution to the food supply is 95%. Imports cover part of the needs of urban areas in particular. The Burundian market is open to processed products coming from the East African Community and elsewhere.
CAPAD supports approximately 15,000 agricultural producers by facilitating their access to training (including the use of agroecology) and to the market through collective sale opportunities, notably to SOCOPA.
