The Bafing Region is located in the Northwest of Côte d'Ivoire and is subdivided into three (03) Departments: Touba (Capital), Ouaninou, and Koro. It covers an area of 8,650 km2, which is 2.68% of the national territory.

  • The population of the region is as follows:

 

ENTITY

POPULATION

HOUSEHOLDS

MALES

FEMALES

TOTAL

SEX RATIO

NUMBER

AVERAGE SIZE

Bafing Region

136,919

125,932

262,850

109

46,218

5.7

Touba Department

62,918

57,606

120,524

109

22,236

5.4

TOUBA (Capital)

28,804

26,209

55,013

110

10,451

5.2

Source: INS, RGPH 2021

 

  • Touba, the capital of the region, is a Local Economic Connector (a small town that is at an embryonic stage of urbanization facilitating internal economies of scale, such as hosting a large company that processes local agricultural products) whose economy is primarily based on agriculture, trade, livestock, tourism, and transport (Study on the Competitive Economic Pole Development Program - PEC, 2018);
  • Financial sector: 01 microfinance institution is established there;
  • One (01) industrial land reserve has been established with an area of 50 ha (MCIPPME, 2022);
  • Mobile network coverage (July 2023): 83.12% of localities and 86.53% of the population are covered;
  • Health: The health infrastructure in the region covers most of the technical platforms.

 

 

Health infrastructures

Number

Primary Contact Health Facilities (ESPC)

45

General Hospitals

02

Regional Hospital Centers

01

Private Profit-Making Health Facilities

01

Functional Operating Rooms

01

Functional Public Radiology Services

01

Functional Private Radiology Services

01

Dental Offices

01

Public Pharmacies

05

Private Pharmacies

03

Source: MSHPCMU, 2022

 

The key sectors of activity include agriculture and agro-industry, animal resources, and tourism.

 

Agriculture:

Type of crop

Crops

Production (in tons)

2021

2022

2023

Cash crops

Rubber

661

793

800

Oil Palm

523

471

534

Cocoa

19,991

13,073

11,804

Cotton

1,408

1,358

11,804

Cashew

13,245

18,784

19,183

Coffee

183

164

155

Food crops

Plantain Banana

13,311

13,827

8,480

Yam

27,574

28,287

40,344

Corn

2,272

2,391

4,325

Rice

7,574

16,262

18,198

Peanut

6,151

6,401

1,869

Cassava

68,174

73,602

56,882

Taro

234

241

ND

Potato

2,114

2,176

ND

Vegetable crops

Eggplant

4,397

4,502

280

Okra

25,755

26,537

384

Tomato

6,051

6,237

148

Source: MEMINADERPV, 2023 ND: Not Available

 

  • Animal resources

Type of livestock

Species

Livestock (in number of heads)

2022

Poultry

Broilers

33,417

Layers

54,026

Traditional Chickens

30,328

Ruminants

Cattle

18,947

Sheep

20,972

Goats

3,401

Pigs

Traditional Pig

7,725

Modern Pig

Source: MIRAH, estimate 2022

 

  • Tourism: The tourism offerings in the region include:
    • The two-century-old mosque of Ganhoué (Sub-Prefecture of Ouaninou);
    • The inscriptions on the stones of Silasso Ganhoué;
    • The three (03) caves of Toutié;
    • Mount Zaala;
    • Mount Djéguénin of Bambadougou;
    • The Silures and masks of Silakoro S/P of Touba;
    • The Mimbala waterfall.

 

As part of the implementation of the National Development Plan (PND) 2021-2025, the Bafing Region is included in the area covered by the Agro-pole "Pole for the Transformation of Food Crops" (Agro-pole 8).

Investment opportunities exist in the following sectors:

  • Agriculture and Agro-industry: Investments in the development of food crop sectors (Rice, Soybean), cash crop sectors (Cotton, Cashew), and the processing of these agricultural products.
  • Mining Resources: The region has a rich mining potential with deposits of Cobalt, Nickel, Gold, Chrome, and Rare Earths, for which exploration permits have been granted in the Koro department.
  • Tourism: Creation of tourist circuits and construction of hotel complexes;
  • Trade: Opportunity to develop international trade through the double borders with Guinea and Mali.
  • Environment: Investments in scientific research to address the severe climate issues in the area.

Some priority projects and actions have been identified for the benefit of the Bafing Region, including:

 

NB

Project or Action Description

Planning Document

Estimated Cost

(FCFA)

Observations

01

Creation of a satellite processing unit for cashew nuts as part of the development of the industrial park dedicated to cashew processing in Séguéla (15 ha)

PND 2021 -2025

Not specified

Business opportunity to seize

02

Exploitation of lateritic nickel mines

Not specified

Business opportunity to seize

03

Electrification of remaining localities: 178 localities to be electrified in the Autonomous District of Woroba, which includes the Bafing Region

Not specified

Business opportunity to seize

04

Construction and upgrading of roads: heavy reshaping (426.4 km), light reshaping (3,306.4 km), and structures (17)

Not specified

Business opportunity to seize

05

Construction of social and economic housing

Not specified

Business opportunity to seize

06

Implementation of the land development program for the production of housing and serviced land accessible to all

Not specified

Business opportunity to seize

07

Implementation of the Competitive Pole program of Touba (Local Economic Connector)

Not specified

Business opportunity to seize

08

Development of an Industrial Zone

Not specified

Business opportunity to seize

09

Construction and rehabilitation of basic socio-economic infrastructure

Strategic Development Plan (SDP)

Not defined

Project idea

10

Project to support agropastoral productivity

Not defined

Project idea

11

Project to support agropastoral productivity

Not defined

Project idea

12

Tourism promotion project

Not defined

Project idea