FOLON Region

The Folon Region is located in the Northwest of Côte d'Ivoire and is subdivided into two (02) Departments: Minignan (Capital) and Kaniasso. It covers an area of 7,239 km², which is 2.24% of the national area.

 

• The population of the region is as follows:

ENTITY	POPULATION				HOUSEHOLDS
	MEN	WOMEN	TOTAL	SEX RATIO	NUMBER	AVERAGE SIZE
Folon Region	75,902	70,307	146,209	108	18,512	7.9
Minignan Department	32,403	29,234	61,637	111	9,953	6.2
MINIGNAN (Capital)	12,795	11,456	24,251	112	4,292	5.6

Source: INS, RGPH 2021

 

• Minignan, 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) with an agricultural vocation, dominated by two (02) cash crops: cashew and cotton (Study on the Competitive Economic Pole Development Program - PEC, 2018). Due to its geographical location (bordering Mali to the north and Guinea to the west), Folon is a strategic area favorable for trade with inland countries;
• Mobile network coverage (July 2023): 67.90% of localities and 74.96% of the population are covered;

 

• Health: The health infrastructure in the region is as follows:

Health infrastructure	Number
Primary Contact Health Facilities (ESPC)	27
General Hospitals	02
Dental Clinics	01
Public Pharmacies	04

Source: MSHPCMU, 2022

 

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

 

• Agriculture :

Type of crop	Crops	Production (in tons)
		2021	2022	2023
	Cash crops	Cotton	11,578	11,173	8,282
		Cashew	10,803	14,197	14,499
Food crops	Yam	30,579	31,370	20,234
	Maize	31,486	33,138	17,262
	Rice	13,263	14,413	16,129
	Groundnut	8,622	8,971	7,846
	Millet	1,309	1,361	ND
	Sorghum	133	139	ND
	Potato	850	874	ND
	Vegetable crops	Eggplant	8	8	71
Okra		102	105	90
Tomato		5	5	27

Source: MEMINADERPV, 2023 ND: Not Available

 

Animal resources:

Type of livestock	Species	Livestock (in number of heads)
		2022
Poultry	Broilers	10,397
	Layers	10,397
	Traditional chickens	7,480
Ruminants	Cattle	30,987
	Sheep	6,397
	Goats	12,323
Pigs	Traditional pig	10,397
	Modern pig

Source: MIRAH, estimate 2022

 

Mining resources: extraction of manganese in the Kaniasso Department.

As part of the implementation of the National Development Plan (PND) 2021-2025, the Folon 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: Exploration and exploitation of manganese and other mineral resources, particularly nickel/cobalt laterite;
• Transport: Development of transport activities in the Region.

Some priority projects and actions have been identified for the benefit of the Folon Region, namely:

NB	Project or Action Description	Planning Document	Estimated Cost (FCFA)	Observations
01	Exploitation of manganese mines	PND 2021 -2025	Not specified	Business opportunity to seize
02	Electrification of localities in Folon		Not specified	Business opportunity to seize
03	Construction and strengthening of roads (heavy and light reprofiling) and structures		Not specified	Business opportunity to seize
04	Construction of social and economic housing		Not specified	Business opportunity to seize
05	Implementation of the land development program for the production of housing and serviced land accessible to all		Not specified	Business opportunity to seize
06	Implementation of the Competitive Pole program of Minignan (Local Economic Connector)		Not specified	Business opportunity to seize
07	Development of an Industrial Zone		Not specified	Business opportunity to seize

Source: MEPD, 2024 / PS-Gouv2