Solidarity is resistance: Adapting to a crisis in Burkina Faso

Since 2016, the security situation in Burkina Faso has rapidly deteriorated as clashes between government forces and armed groups have intensified.

In 2023, conflict-related violence killed nearly 7,600 people as armed groups deliberately targeted civilians, including farmers.

Through it all, Inter Pares’ counterpart, Inades-Formation Burkina Faso, continues their essential work with rural communities. They support farmers, particularly women, through training in agroecology – agriculture that works with nature to produce food in Earth-friendly ways. This training, alongside ongoing community sessions about gender equality, supports these communities to have more agency and control over their lives and livelihoods.

As the conflict and ongoing threat of violence makes traveling to certain areas of the country difficult, Inades-Formation has found ways to overcome this barrier.

To cut down the need for travel, Inades-Formation provides agroecological training to local community members in hard-to-reach areas. The training enables them to serve as resources to their fellow farmers.

“We’ve relied heavily on these individuals,” says Isidore Della, national director of Inades-Formation. Thanks to the efforts of trained local farmers, our counterpart can continue to build capacity in farming communities from afar.

“They’re on the ground, they’re local and they can get the job done without too much risk.”

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Inades-Formation also facilitates field trips for women farmers to visit model farms practicing agroecology. These trips are valuable opportunities for the farmers to learn about sustainable farming techniques that they can then implement in their own fields.

While these efforts aim to strengthen food security and promote sustainable farming practices in Burkina Faso, lack of access to water and the arid climate of the region remain major challenges.

Through it all, we are committed to supporting Inades-Formation so they can continue promoting food sovereignty and women farmers’ agency in Burkina Faso.