Location
Côte d'Ivoire
Bouaké, Soubré and
Méagui departments
Beneficiaries
2,000
VSLA members
Period
2023 - 2024
12 months
Context:
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, 12.3 million people in Côte d'Ivoire live in rural areas. In recent years, electrification programs have been underway in these communities, which are far from urban centers. However, in most cases, access to reliable electrical infrastructure remains difficult.
Côte d’Ivoire, located in West Africa, is a developing country characterized by significant regional disparities. Bouaké, the country's second-largest city, served as a stronghold of rebellion during the political-military crisis of 2002–2011, leaving significant socio-economic scars. Despite this, Bouaké plays a strategic role as a trade hub between the north and south of the country and remains a key economic center for the region.
In contrast, Soubré and Méagui, located in more isolated rural areas, have historically lacked structural investments, increasing their economic vulnerability. These regions rely heavily on agriculture, particularly the production of cocoa and oil palm, making them sensitive to fluctuations in global markets. Rural and peri-urban communities in these areas, mainly composed of smallholder farmers and women, face significant structural challenges. Women, in particular, suffer from limited access to land, financing, and economic opportunities, hindering their ability to improve their living conditions.
According to the World Bank, the electricity access rate in Côte d’Ivoire increased from 34% in 2013 to nearly 94% in 2020, marking significant progress. However, these national figures mask significant disparities between urban and rural areas. The departments of Soubré and Méagui, which are predominantly rural, lag significantly in access to reliable electricity. In Bouaké, while reconstruction efforts have been undertaken, electrical infrastructure weakened by years of conflict remains insufficient to support sustainable economic activity, particularly in the most vulnerable neighborhoods.
Project description:
The project, by facilitating access to modern and appropriate electrical equipment, could improve the productivity of households and economic actors, reduce social inequalities, and strengthen women’s economic empowerment. It would also contribute to revitalizing Bouaké’s strategic role as a commercial hub and boosting rural areas such as Soubré and Méagui.
CARE relies on 50 AVEC (Community Self-Help Value Enhancement Associations), as well as groups and individuals who have already benefited from funding for community microprojects under previous initiatives. These groups receive support to identify local economic opportunities and develop business plans. These plans are submitted to the microfinance institution Advans Côte d’Ivoire for financing. A tailored credit product is offered, and a guarantee fund is established to facilitate access to this financing.
Specific objectives:
• Improve incomes through the development of income-generating activities among members of AVEC associations, in order to strengthen their capacity to acquire electrical equipment adapted to productive and domestic needs;
• Promote access to and use of this equipment by different categories of electricity users, including community spaces, households, and economic actors, in order to provide new economic opportunities for rural populations, particularly for agricultural product processing;
• Raise awareness among AVEC members and rural communities about the availability and use of electrical equipment for productive and domestic purposes. These actions make it possible to validate equipment projects with target AVEC members while strengthening the economic and social autonomy of beneficiaries;
• Improve the supply of electrical equipment and related services, such as installation, training, and after-sales service in rural areas;
• Train community-based maintenance technicians to ensure proper use and maintenance of the equipment, thereby guaranteeing its sustainability.
Key Themes:
Economic empowerment
Electricity
Gender Equality
CARE Belgium supports the project in collaboration with other members of the CARE network, in particular through communication and fundraising activities.