BURKINA FASO, Zoundweogo Province.
£2,300.
Women's Land and Food Production Project - improving land security and
the socio-economic status of women, in four village areas over a 3 year
period.
Funding for seeds and tools.
The area suffers from drought and the land is degraded, with poor soil
and depleted forest resources. Women in Burkina Faso have poor land
security and are amongst the poorest of the poor.
As part of a larger project - 140 ha of degraded communal land will be
restored and
re-distributed. Four integrated tree and market garden
nurseries will be created. 50,400 seedlings will be planted. 21,000
seedlings will be raised to sell.
Training will be provided on: conservation, forestry, land restoration,
natural resource management, market gardening, nursery skills and soil
conservation.
Land and gender issues will be promoted. An advocacy programme will be
implemented which will also cover poverty issues and tenure rights.
Formal agreements will secure the access and distribution of the
restored land. This will be particularly important to the marginalised
women.
Crops grown will include: cabbages, onions and tomatoes, which (in
addition to being eaten) will be sold or exchanged at local markets for
other foodstuffs and medicinal products. Some of the income will be put
back in to the project, to sustain it and pay for the upkeep of water
wells etc.
This project will indirectly benefit approximately 2,400 people,
improving food security. There will be a 40% increase in income
for the female beneficiaries by the end of the project.
Financed through TREE AID (Bristol, UK) working with local
non-governmental organisations ACFED/SAHEL and ARAD/Z, in Burkina Faso.