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 |