In the Central African Republic, sesame cultivation has resumed in Kaga-Bandoro, a town in the centre of the country. Thanks to the improvement in security conditions, humanitarian actors are gradually withdrawing from the region and directing residents towards development activities such as agriculture. Local authorities note a 50% increase in sesame production among producers. The town is seeing an influx of not only national applicants, but also foreigners. From our special correspondent in Kaga-Bandoro, The group “Ko Ba sè” – which means “Let’s work to win” in the local Mandja language – owns a 10-hectare field near Kaga-Bandoro. Here, farmers are ploughing with a plow in preparation for planting sesame. David, the group’s coordinator, prepares sesame seeds in a container for sowing. " As you can see, the soil in the area is favorable for growing sesame. It is a plant that grows quickly and is easy to cultivate ," he describes. This cereal allows for a quick profit. " After 3 to 4 months, we already have the harvest, unlike cassava or other crops that are harvested after a year ," he adds. Until recently, the city was in the hands of armed groups . The United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) supports agricultural groups with quality seeds and the use of good practices. Sesame attracts interest from producers and buyers In Kaga-Bandoro, sesame brings in more than other basic foodstuffs. While a bowl of sesame sells for 6,000 CFA francs, the price of bowls of cassava, corn and peanuts varies between 3,000 and 4,000 CFA francs. “ Every year, for the past two years, we have exported between two and three tons of sesame to the sub-region. The annual profit from all our sales brings us around 10 million CFA francs,” explains David. “ Part of this money allows us to buy other plots and oxen to increase productivity. The rest helps us pay our members’ monthly salaries. Now, we would like to have machines. ” Consumed locally, sesame also leaves for the sub-region. “ In my hometown, people say that sesame oil is much better than peanut oil. Some use it for food and others for making soap ,” explains Hamza Youssouf. The young Sudanese trader traveled a thousand kilometers to stock up in Kaga-Bandoro. “ This is where I find enough ,” she assures. After the town of Kaga-Bandoro in Nana-Gribizi, the prefectures of Mbomou and Lim Pendé are gradually returning to sesame cultivation. In the absence of an organization that can organize the production and marketing of this cereal, each group or farmer is working to sell their goods in other prefectures of the country or in the sub-region.