Agriculture and rural development

A mode of subsistance

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Volunteers' story

Daniel Beauregard: a civil servant in the land of shea butter

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Partner's Story

Union des groupements des produits de karité (UGPPK)

Our Actions In the Same Country

HIV/Aids in Burkina Faso

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Initiatives from the Campuses

International Seminar in Burkina Faso

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In Agriculture and Rural Development in Burkina Faso

Uniterra’s partners focus their activities on two fronts: strengthening the conditions that favour food security and diversifying income sources among rural populations. The objective is to improve living conditions in the country, particularly for women.
Area :
274,000 km2
Population :
11.9 million

Gross National Income (GNI) per capita: $300 US

The country adopted a National Food Security Strategy in October 2001. Chronic food insecurity is related to risky climatic conditions, poor soil productivity and crop pests. The geographic context is highly constraining: the country is landlocked and its continental climate is highly variable and characterized by vast seasonal variations. Agricultural activity slows down during the dry season between October and May. (Source: www.burkinaonline.bf)

ON THE GROUND

Three sectors have been identified for intervention: oilseeds (i.e. shea butter-based products), grain (rice, corn, sorghum and millet) and produce (fruits and vegetables). We support the building of capacities among agricultural producers and peasant organizations, especially in marketing and distribution, as well as in food processing.We have also initiated projects to strengthen the management capacities and institutional development of professional organizations.

PROFILE OF A PARTNER IN BURKINA FASO

L’Association Songtaaba-Yalgre (ASY) is a non-profit federation composed of 10 women’s groups with a total membership of 2,000 women. ASY is an organization concerned with the production, processing and marketing of local products, in particular conventional and organic shea butter—including its sub-products (soap, lotions, etc.). It also provides its
members with training and informal basic education. As part of its efforts to promote shea butter, ASY has implemented a project called KARIBIO. The general objective of this project is to improve the incomes of women producers at the grassroots by ensuring that the quality standards of their shea butter production meet the needs of the international market. The Association already exports shea butter to Europe and North America. It obtained a certificate of compliance from Ecocert International in order to augment the value added of the shea butter it markets.

Other partners in Burkina Faso

  • La Coalition Burkinabé pour les Droits de la femme
  • Comité Interprofessionnel du Riz du Burkina (CIR-B)
  • Fédération des Industries Agro-alimentaires et de Transformation du Burkina (FIAB)
  • Table Filière Karité (TFK) (Savonnerie Parfumerie du Houet (SPH))
  • Union des Coopératives Agricoles et Maraîchères du Burkina (UCOBAM)
  • Union des Groupements de Productrices de Produits du Karité Sissili-Ziro (UGPPK/SZ)
  • Union des Groupements pour la Commercialisation des Produits Agricoles de la Boucle du Mouhoun (UGCPA/BM)
  • Food insecurity remains a daily reality in Burkina Faso.

PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY AND THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN

Gender issues are at the heart of every project executed by Uniterra's partners.Whether it's in education, agriculture or any other sector, we devote particular attention to gender equity and incorporate the narrowing of gender-based gaps into the actual execution of activities on the ground.