The Poro Region is located in the north of Côte d'Ivoire and is subdivided into four (04) Departments: Korhogo (Capital), M'Bengué, Sinématiali, and Dikodougou. It covers an area of 13,400 km2.

The population of the region is as follows:

ENTITY

POPULATION

HOUSEHOLDS

MEN

WOMEN

TOTAL

SEX RATIO

NUMBER

AVERAGE SIZE

Poro Region

524,531

515,929

1,040,461

102

180,173

5.8

Korhogo Department

377,466

370,927

748,393

102

133,984

5.6

KORHOGO (Capital)

225,190

215,736

440,926

104

81,738

5.4

Source: INS, RGPH 2021

 

  • Korhogo, its capital, is a Main Economic Connector (a large city at an advanced stage of urbanization facilitating urban economies through a diversified economic base that fosters innovation) with an agricultural vocation: the capital of national cotton production and a center for beef and sheep production (Study on the Competitive Economic Pole Development Program - PEC, 2018). It also produces shea butter, mangoes, sugarcane, and rice;
  • One (01) industrial zone exists: located in the Korhogo department with 340 ha, including an industrial land reserve of 224 ha (MCIPPME, 2022);
  • Mobile network coverage (ARTCI, July 2023): 95.38% of localities and 96.37% of the population are covered.
  • Health: The health infrastructure in the region includes essential technical platforms.

Health infrastructure

Number

Primary Contact Health Facilities (ESPC)

151

General Hospitals

03

Regional Hospital Centers

01

Private Profit-Making Health Facilities

18

Functional Operating Theaters

03

Functional Gynecological-Obstetric Operating Rooms

03

Functional Public Radiology Services

02

Public Dental Clinics

02

Private Dental Clinics

01

Public Pharmacies

12

Private Pharmacies

18

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 crop

Cotton

204,336

197,200

146,176

Cashew

81,173

110,941

113,296

Food crops

Plantain banana

 

 

 

Yam

113,189

116,117

58,876

Corn

188,587

198,480

118,898

Rice

489,892

407,335

455,824

Millet

2,812

2,924

ND

Potato

14,504

14,924

ND

Sorghum

10,464

10,940

ND

Peanut

51,330

53,414

73,422

Cassava

4,637

5,007

7,220

Vegetable crops

Eggplant

4,652

4,762

48

Okra

3,190

3,286

39

Tomato

1,450

1,495

31

Source: MEMINADERPV, 2023

 

  • Animal resources:

 

Type of livestock

Species

Livestock (in number of heads)

2022

Poultry

Broilers

731,391

Layers

505,759

Traditional chickens

10,929,150

Ruminants

Cattle

219,189

Sheep

113,986

Goats

129,294

Pigs

Traditional pig

57,004

Modern pig

Source: MIRAH, estimate 2022

 

  • Mining resources: a gold mine with a production capacity of 7 to 8 tons per year and another reserve of 90 tons, a manganese mine;
  • Agro-industry: three (03) cotton ginning companies, three (03) mango drying units;
  • Tourism: weavers of Waraniéré, the fabrics of Fapaha, the basket makers of Torgokaha, the traditional forges of Koni, the bead makers of Kapélé, the sacred hut of Niofoin or the Protective Hut, Mount Korhogo, the Museum of Patriarch Péléforo Gbon, the panther dances or Boloye of Natio, the Wambélé of Sinématiali.

 

As part of the implementation of the National Development Plan 2021-2025 (PND 2021-2025), the Poro Region is included in the area covered by the Agro-pole for the transformation and export of fruits and cashew nuts (Agro-pole 1).

Investment opportunities exist in the following sectors:

  • Agriculture: Investments in hydro-agricultural development, irrigation infrastructure, support for production and storage, development of food crop sectors (Maize, Millet, Sorghum, Rice, Onions), cash crop sectors (Cotton, Cashew, Mango, ...), and livestock sectors (Cattle, Sheep).
  • Education-Training: creation and operation of schools, colleges, high schools, and universities, technical and vocational schools;
  • Agro-industry: establishment of industries for processing agricultural raw materials (cotton, cashew, mango, …);
  • Tourism: investment in the construction of hotel complexes and the creation of tourist circuits;
  • Mining resources: exploration and exploitation of mining resources (gold, manganese, and tantalum).

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

NB

Project or Action Description

Planning Document

Estimated Cost

(FCFA)

Observations

01

Construction of social and economic housing

PND 2021 -2025

Not specified

Business opportunity to seize

02

Construction of a wholesale market and collection and grouping centers

PND 2021 -2025

Not specified

Business opportunity to seize

03

Exploitation of gold mines

PND 2021 -2025

Not specified

Business opportunity to seize

04

Development of an industrial park dedicated to cashew processing in Korhogo (25 ha) and creation of satellite processing units for cashew in other locations

PND 2021 -2025

Not specified

Business opportunity to seize

05

Development of an Industrial Zone (28 ha)

PND 2021 -2025

Not specified

Business opportunity to seize

06

Construction of a factory for manufacturing solar panels and equipment with a capacity of 50 MW per year

Project catalog of the Poro region - Edition 2024

36,728,648,080

Funding to be mobilized

07

Construction of a factory for producing oil from shea butter (1,000 tons per year)

Project catalog of the Poro region - Edition 2024

7,716,877,500

Funding to be mobilized as part of the Agro-Industrial Pole Project in the North

(2PAI-NORD)

08

Construction of a factory for producing oil and animal feed from cotton (3,800 tons of oil and 10,700 tons of animal feed per year)

Project catalog of the Poro region - Edition 2024

6,090,640,000

Funding to be mobilized as part of the 2PAI-NORD Project

09

Establishment of a biofuel and fuel production unit from cashew shells with a capacity of 2,460 tons per year

Project catalog of the Poro region - Edition 2024

239,340,000

Funding to be mobilized

10

Construction of a factory for producing animal feed from rice bran, mango peels, and cashew apple peels (340,000 tons of animal feed per year)

Project catalog of the Poro region - Edition 2024

38,919,306,242

Funding to be mobilized as part of the 2PAI-NORD Project

Source: MEPD, 2024 / PS-Gouv2