By Daniel Pinhassi
One of the most significant advantages offered by the Agriculture Service and Training Centres (ASTC) developed by Green2000 is their ability to operate independently and sustain themselves over time. Each centre is carefully adapted to the specific region in which it is located, offering farmers a range of services tailored to local agricultural practices—whether in vegetable production, field crops, rice, fruit, dairy, or other key sectors.
The ASTC in Guitry
A defining feature of every ASTC is its independent Commercial Agriculture Project (CAP). The type of activity selected for each CAP is determined by local growing conditions and market needs, ensuring sufficient profitability to sustain the ASTC’s operations. Importantly, these projects are designed not to compete with or harm the interests of smallholder farmers. For instance, in a region with a limited market where local farmers already grow tomatoes or onions, the ASTC would not establish a competing operation. Instead, it would select a complementary commercial activity, ensuring the ASTC remains viable without undermining the livelihoods of surrounding smallholder farmers. The guiding principle of every ASTC remains constant: to support, train, and improve the performance and profitability of smallholder farmers.
The ASTC in Guiembe
The greatest challenge in implementing the ASTC model is managerial rather than technical. Each centre functions as a public infrastructure hub, requiring exceptionally high-quality management. Running an ASTC demands a careful balance: on one hand, providing training, inputs, and services to smallholder farmers, and on the other, managing profitable, private-sector-level commercial projects. The dual responsibility—social impact combined with commercial sustainability—requires leadership that is both visionary and pragmatic.
The ASTC in Kong
The Green2000 initiative in Côte d’Ivoire is unique in scope, as it marks the first time four separate ASTC projects are being developed simultaneously in different regions of the country. While the range of services offered by each ASTC is broadly similar, minor adjustments reflect local realities, particularly in areas where rice farming is a dominant activity. The main differences between the four projects lie in the commercial components (CAPs) chosen for each site. These include:
- Aquaculture, with an annual production capacity of 700 tons.
- Mushroom cultivation, producing two tons per week.
- Poultry farming, with a capacity of 20,000 eggs per day.
- Greenhouse vegetable production, ensuring a steady and diversified year-round supply of fresh produce to Abidjan.
Local markets in Côte d’Ivoire are capable of absorbing these production volumes; however, success ultimately depends on efficient management and well-structured marketing systems. While each ASTC operates as an independent entity, there is also potential for creating a coordinated regional or national network. Such an integrated system could significantly strengthen agricultural resilience in Côte d’Ivoire and provide consistent support to smallholder farmers across the country.
The coming years will reveal whether the Ivorian government can harness this infrastructure of four ASTCs for the broader benefit of smallholder farmers and the national agricultural sector, and maybe even extend it. The challenge is substantial, yet entirely achievable. The alternative—leaving smallholder farmers to struggle alone against poverty and the difficulties of sustaining agriculture—is neither viable nor desirable. With proper management and government engagement, the ASTC model could become a cornerstone for sustainable agricultural development in Côte d’Ivoire.
The ASTC in Zikisso