Ivory Coast: The New Blueprint for Farming Resilience

Cote d’Ivoire isn’t just a place where crops are cultivated and livestock is raised. It’s a living, breathing example of how ECAM is redefining sustainability. The farms are an interconnected system of productivity, designed to provide farmers with the tools and techniques to thrive in an era of climate unpredictability.

The farm is home to a recently thriving poultry operation, with 30,000 lay chickens and an expansion for new poultry homes to accommodate 70,000 more under construction. When completed, these facilities will house more chickens, producing eggs for local markets and free fertilizer for other farmers. The president explains, “This is about more than providing resources. It’s about creating a system where every element contributes to the whole.”

The president shares the farm’s broader vision. ECAM’s approach to sustainability doesn’t involve asking farmers to risk their livelihoods by abandoning staple crops for unfamiliar ones. Instead, it seeks to diversify their portfolios, much like a savvy business strategy.

The farm demonstrates how livestock and crops can work together in harmony. Goats and cows provide milk. Chickens, soon to fill the poultry homes, will supply eggs and manure that further enriches the soil. This cyclical process reduces waste, increases efficiency, and, most importantly, builds resilience against the unpredictable challenges of climate change.

ECAM’s initiative to build three additional poultry homes is central to this mission. These facilities will dramatically scale up egg and poultry production, providing a consistent income stream and local food security.

The president explains the vision behind this expansion: “We’re not just thinking about today’s challenges. We’re building a system that ensures long-term sustainability for the farmers we support.”

What If?

One phrase comes up repeatedly: What if? It’s a guiding question for ECAM—one that encourages farmers to imagine possibilities beyond their current circumstances.

What if farmers didn’t have to depend solely on crops vulnerable to pests and fungi? What if livestock could double as a source of income and a means to strengthen the land? What if sustainability wasn’t just about survival but about thriving in a changing world?

This farm is ECAM’s answer. It’s a real-world demonstration of these “what ifs” coming to life. Each element of the farm plays a role in a larger system that doesn’t just sustain itself but flourishes.

Farming isn’t just a showcase of survival—it’s a promise to work to thrive. A promise that with the right support, tools, and vision, farmers can not only adapt to the challenges of global warming but build a future that is secure, sustainable, and prosperous.