Fair Part Two
Last
weekend was very intense! The Fair, a unique event throughout the
country (and also in neighboring countries!), involved the whole city
and the region. The Bozoum city heart, in these 3 days, had moved to the
fair area. Around nearly forty booths (each occupied by 3-4
cooperatives) were set up by food services and bars, and even the
traders had set up booths. Only the nougat was missing! After the
opening on Friday morning, the sale of products and exchanges began.
First slowly, and then gradually faster and faster. Sunday night there
were practically no more products to sell Saturday, while the Fair
continued, it was dedicated to visitors. We took advantage of the
presence of officials from the Ministry of Agricultural Development and
took them to visit, along with the authorities, the rice fields and
vegetable gardens. In the morning we went to Bohoro, a rice growing
center, created in the seventies by the Chinese, which is now the
driving connection of a network of a dozen paddy fields. In the
afternoon instead we visited a part of the Bozoum gardens: about 18, for
a total of at least 10 hectares, scattered in an area rich in water.
They are all very spectacular. A marvel of order, color, and variety,
one more beautiful than the next. Many are created and managed by women,
for whom cultivation is a good way to enrich the table and the family
budget. Saturday night was the time to collect the cards from the guests
and visitors who have appreciated and evaluated the stands and gardens.
All guests and visitors; Czech, Italian and French, are involved. I
asked Paolo and Cristina, president and vice president of the "Amici per
il Centrafrica" Association, who finance the Fair, to give a hand. On
Sunday morning we celebrated Mass with the deputy secretary of Caritas
Centrafrique, Abbé Alain. In the afternoon it was time for the awards.
Everything was ready! The names of the winners of the two competitions,
that of the exhibitors at the Fair and that of the gardens, are
proclaimed. Medal, diploma, some farmer tools, but above all a lot of
pride! Behind all this, behind the over 180 cooperatives present, there
is enormous work. The Caritas staff was impeccable, but most of the
secretarial work, reception and data collection is done by the students
of our Lycée St.Augustin, who did an excellent job. And so the Fair
riches the end. On Monday the cooperatives return home (some have more
than 220 km of bad roads to go). They leave with a result of 40 million
euros Cfa (about 61,000 euros), and with much pride. Farmers pride! 
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| Maman Suzanne, vincittrice del concorso deli ORTI Maman Suzanne, première dans le councours des jardins potagers |
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