Marahoué Region

The Marahoué Region is located in the center-west of Côte d'Ivoire and is subdivided into five (05) Departments: Bouaflé (Capital), Bonon, Gohitafla, Sinfra, and Zuénoula. It covers an area of 9,092.48 km², which is 2.81% of the national territory.

• The population of the region is as follows:

ENTITY	POPULATION				HOUSEHOLDS
	MEN	WOMEN	TOTAL	SEX RATIO	NUMBER	AVERAGE SIZE
Marahoué Region	521,475	459,704	981,180	113	177,305	5.5
Bouaflé Department	161,857	138,448	300,305	117	63,016	4.8
BOUAFLE (Capital)	114,524	99,443	213,967	115	45,210	4.7

Source: INS, RGPH 2021

 

• Bouaflé, 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 a strong agricultural vocation (Study on the Competitive Economic Pole Development Program - PEC, 2018);
• An industrial zone exists in the Bouaflé department with an industrial land reserve of 134 hectares (MCIPPME, 2022);
• Financial sector: 08 commercial banks and 03 microfinance institutions are established there;

• Mobile network coverage (ARTCI, July 2023): 99.65% of localities and 99.82% of the population are covered;
• Health: The health infrastructure in the region includes most of the technical platforms.

Health infrastructure	Number
Primary Contact Health Establishments (ESPC)	130
General Hospitals	03
Regional Hospital Centers	01
Private Profit-Making Health Establishments	44
Functional Operating Rooms	02
Functional Public Radiology Services	02
Functional Private Radiology Services	01
Dental Offices	04
Public Pharmacies	11
Private Pharmacies	16

Source: MSHPCMU, 2022

 

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

 

• Agriculture :

Type of crop	Crops	Production (in tons)
		2021	2022	2023
Cash crops	Rubber	8,553	11,291	11,387
	Oil Palm	2,025	1,824	2,068
	Cocoa	67,144	66,725	60,252
	Coffee	39	65	62
	Cashew	36,437	42,306	43,204
Food crops	Plantain Banana	161,789	168,060	107,984
	Yam	240,762	246,990	421,773
	Maize	28,689	30,194	43,797
	Rice	90,784	101,325	113,387
	Groundnut	5,342	5,559	14,073
	Taro	25,771	26,542	ND
	Vegetable crops	Eggplant	3,235
Okra		5,019
Tomato		1,785

Source: MEMINADERPV, 2023 ND: Not Available

 

• Agro-industry: sugarcane production unit (Zuénoula);

 

• Animal resources:

Type of livestock	Species	Livestock (in number of heads)
		2022
Poultry	Broilers	56,979
	Layers	56,470
	Traditional Chickens	12,049
Ruminants	Cattle	37,370
	Sheep	63,080
	Goats	41,867
Pigs	Traditional Pig	10,316
	Modern Pig

Source: MIRAH, estimate 2022

 

• Industry: Bouaflé Brewery;
• Mining resources: Gold (gold mines of Angovia and Kpangbankouamekro);
• Tourism: the region's tourist offerings include:
  • the Confluence of Bonzi;
  • the sacred stones of Gohitafla;
  • the Weavers of Bazré;
  • the Marahoué National Park (100,000 hectares).

As part of the implementation of the National Development Plan (PND) 2021-2025, the Marahoué Region is included in the area covered by the Agro-pole "Academic Research and Transformation Hub" (Agro-pole 6).

Investment opportunities exist in the following sectors:

• Agriculture and Agro-industry: Establishment of processing plants for cash crop production (cocoa, etc.) and industrial units for processing food products (rice, yam, cassava), development of citrus value chains;
• Animal Resources: Creation of poultry farms;
• Fisheries Resources: Freshwater aquaculture;
• Mining Resources: Exploration and exploitation of gold, diamonds, tantalum, sand, and gravel;
• Tourism: Promotion of the Marahoué natural reserve to develop eco-tourism and biodiversity.

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

NB	Project or Action Description	Planning Document	Estimated Cost (FCFA)	Observations
01	Gold Mining Operations	PND 2021 -2025	Not specified	Business opportunity to seize
02	Electrification of localities in Marahoué		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 Bouaflé Competitive Pole program (Local Economic Connector) with a strong agricultural vocation		Not specified	Business opportunity to seize
07	Development of an Industrial Zone		Not specified	Business opportunity to seize

Source: MEPD, 2024 / PS-Gouv2