Join us for a conversation about how women-led agroecology is strengthening women’s leadership, building more resilient communities and food systems, and shaping a more sustainable future in West Africa.
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
11:30 – 1:00 p.m. ET
Online
Register for the webinar
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The conversation will be moderated by Fernande Abanda of Inter Pares, with remarks form colleagues Hugues Alla and Eric Chaurette.
Panelists are Mariamé Ouattara, Rugui Baldé, Pauline Marie Hélène Ndiaye, Balkissa Daoura, Paul Sawadogo and Bimata Boukari.
Most of the conversation will take place in French, with some portions in English. Live interpretation between French and English will be available throughout the webinar.
About the panelists
Mariamé Ouattara | Regional Gender Equality Expert, WLA Project
Mariamé is an expert in gender, development and advocacy. She has worked for more than 30 years in Burkina Faso and across West Africa to advance gender equality and defend the rights of rural women. She is a founding member of the Coalition for the Protection of African Genetic Heritage (COPAGEN), she has extensive experience supporting civil society organizations and farmers’ movements. She currently works with Inter Pares as the Regional Gender Equality Expert for the WLA project.
Rugui Baldé | WLA Project Coordinator, Tiniguena, Guinea-Bissau
Rugui Baldé is a member of Tiniguena’s leadership team and the WLA Project Coordinator in Guinea-Bissau. She holds degrees in management and is a recipient of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. She has extensive experience in project design, management and development. After coordinating a project to strengthen Tiniguena’s institutional capacity, she now focuses her work on women’s empowerment, gender equality and women’s entrepreneurship in rural communities. She works closely with rural communities, women’s organizations and traditional authorities to advance the rights and leadership of rural women.
Pauline Marie Hélène Ndiaye | WLA Project Coordinator, Enda Pronat, Senegal
Since 2007, Pauline Marie Hélène Ndiaye has worked as a project officer at Enda Pronat, a Senegalese organization and member of the international Enda Tiers Monde network. She leads the organization’s work on gender and also coordinates the WLA project in Senegal. Her experience includes managing projects focused on securing land rights, women’s economic and political empowerment, agroecology and sustainable development. Drawing on extensive field experience, she supports women and men producers and their organizations in several regions of Senegal. She also represents the Enda Tiers Monde network within the Francophone Network for Gender Equality (RFEFH).
Balkissa Daoura | Executive Secretary, Coalition for the Protection of African Genetic Heritage (COPAGEN)
An environmental and rural development engineer, Balkissa Daoura has served as Executive Secretary of COPAGEN since February 2026. Previously, she held various positions with the City of Niamey, the Network of Chambers of Agriculture of Niger and Niger’s agroecology platform, Rayya Karkara. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to rural development, agroecology and the sustainable management of natural resources in West Africa.
Paul Sawadogo | Agroecology Lead, INADES-Formation Burkina Faso
An agronomist specializing in sustainable agriculture and agroecology, Paul Sawadogo holds a Master’s degree in agriculture from the African Polytechnic Institute of Bobo-Dioulasso. He has worked for several years in rural development and in supporting farmers’ organizations. At INADES-Formation Burkina Faso, where he serves as Agroecology Lead for the WLA project, he supports rural communities in adopting agroecological practices, strengthening seed security and producing organic inputs. His expertise also includes agricultural experimentation, the promotion of farmer-managed seeds and the development of community initiatives that support sustainable and resilient agriculture. As part of agricultural trials, he has also collaborated with research coach Dr. ZONGO of Daniel Ouézzin Coulibaly University in Dédougou.
Bimata Boukari | Farmer and President of the union of savings and credit groups of Attitogon and Hompou, Togo, WLA project participant
Bimata Boukari is a farmer and community leader in the municipality of Bas-Mono 2, Togo. From 2017 to 2023, she served as President of the Union of Savings and Credit Groups of Attitogon and Hompou (UGECZAH), an organization bringing together more than 2,173 women. Recognized for her commitment to the economic empowerment of rural women, she plays a key role in community mobilization, strengthening women’s leadership and promoting women-led economic initiatives in her region.
Inter Pares acknowledges Global Affairs Canada for its financial support for this project.
