The Project to Support Responsible and Integrated Soil Management (PAGRIS), launched in 2020, represents a continuation of efforts undertaken over more than a decade to address the major challenge of agricultural soil degradation in Burundi. This project, funded by the Netherlands, is implemented by the IFDC (International Fertilizer Development Center).

Recently, an independent mid-term evaluation was carried out by R&SD (Research & Strategy for Development) at the request of IFDC to assess the relevance, effectiveness, and prospects of the project.

The evaluation confirms that the project is well on track to achieve its objectives: thousands of farmers are applying integrated techniques to improve the fertility of their land while strengthening resilience to climate change. The self-promotion and participatory planning (PIP) approach is at the heart of the strategy, promoting strong and sustainable local ownership.

The evaluators praise the quality of the training, the mobilization of communities, and the active role of women. However, they recommend intensifying certain aspects such as the use of certified seeds, the improvement of organic matter, and inter-institutional coordination.

This assessment also offers concrete avenues for large-scale expansion of the PAGRIS model, in collaboration with MINEAGRIE (Ministry of Environment, Agriculture, and Livestock of Burundi) and other national partners.

The evaluation mission was welcomed by the teachers and the head of studies at ITAB Mahwa: