(Ecofin Agency) - The Ivorian government is investing CFA150.9 billion to boost the agricultural and farming sector amid the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was announced following a Presidential Council on the implementation of the economic social and humanitarian support plan initiated by the government to respond to the pandemic.

On the vegetal production segment, the investment targets cotton (CFA5.5 billion), cashew (CFA35 billion), rice (CFA12 billion), rubber tree (CFA25 billion), palm oil (CFA3.5 billion) and fruits (CFA10.5 billion).
Livestock production will receive CFA6.67 billion and funds will be allocated to pork production, small-scale fisheries, aquaculture, and the poultry industry.

The funding is part of a vast CFA250 billion project announced in April by the government to help the agriculture sector face the crisis. Agriculture is a key economic driver in Côte d’Ivoire, providing about 21.5% of GDP according to the World Bank.