Trainer Justin Nikiema explained to onion and tomato producers in Zabré the dangers of using pesticides in the treatment of plant diseases. During training organized from August 19 to 21, 2024 by AFEMIB for the benefit of the Tikouma Association of Youth and Women for the Development of Zabré, Mr. Nikiema instead recommended the use of a biopesticide made from neem leaves which repels pests and protects biodiversity. Fifteen women and five men from the Tikouma Association of Youth and Women for the Development of Zabré benefited, from August 19 to 21, 2024, from practical training on the creation of nurseries for the production of tomatoes and onions. The trainer, Justin Nikiema, explained that there are several stages in creating a nursery. 'In wet periods, you need to make a raised bed to avoid flooding. Then, it is necessary to mix the organic manure with the earth, break up the clods of earth, so that it is homogeneous before leveling so that there are no elevations on one side and cracks on one side. the other,' he explained. After this step, the agricultural technician indicated that it is necessary to make furrows in which the seeds are placed before closing them slightly. 'It's the same process in the dry season with the only difference that the bed must be hollow so that the irrigation water can be contained. » It takes between 21 and 30 days to uproot tomato plants and transplant them, compared to around 40 days for onion plants, said Mr. Nikiema. According to him, to have a quality nursery, you must have quality seed, have healthy soil or, failing that, disinfect it with hot water or use fungicides, and finally water it. The trainer also made the beneficiaries aware of the dangers of pesticides used for phytosanitary treatment. 'If you do not want to one day resort to the zaï and half-moon technique, you must avoid pesticides,' he advised. Justin Nikiema also indicated that many diseases from which populations suffer are due to the use of pesticides. 'These chemicals are dangerous to the hea lth of humans, soil and animals,' he said. As an alternative, he created, immediately, with the members of the association, a biopesticide which is obtained, according to him, from a kilogram of neem leaves previously crushed and placed in a container where the four liters of hot water boiled at 100 degrees are added. This substance is stored for 48 hours before its use as a biopesticide. To make it easier for the water to stick to the plants, Mr. Nikiema recommended adding soap. 'This product repels pests while protecting biodiversity,' he said. The beneficiaries of the training also learned how to make organic fertilizer, which is a combination of animal droppings, leaves, grass, ash and water that must be stirred for 14 days before using it in a field. This training is an initiative of the Association of Women in the Mining Sector of Burkina Faso (AFEMIB) with a view to strengthening the capacities of 500 women and young people from ten localities in Burkina, according to its president Lucie Kabré. ' We want to make these young people and women economically independent. This is why we considered it useful to strengthen their capacities by formalizing them into cooperatives to generate income,' she declared. She explained that most members of the Tikouma association, who work on gold panning sites, struggle to make ends meet. 'It is no longer easy in the current context because the quantity of gold is decreasing, the way of mining has evolved and the extraction of ore is done to the detriment of women's health. This is why we teach them to diversify their sources of income,' explained Ms. Kabré. She stressed that ultimately, AFEMIB intends to support the trained people by providing them with equipment to enable them to produce in large quantities. Source: Burkina Information Agency