Since October 2024, INADES-Formation Burkina has been running a project to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities in the province of Sanmatenga. The ambition of INADES-Formation Burkina and its partners is to meet the challenges of access to drinking and productive water, improved incomes for vulnerable populations, and community resilience to the risks of natural disasters in the project area.
Séra, a village in the commune of Boussouma, Sanmatenga province, North Central Region of Burkina Faso. It is located 05 km east of the village center. In the heart of the village, more specifically in the Salagui district, is a newly installed market garden. The perimeter is fenced, with one opening on the north side and one on the south. Inside, a borehole equipped with a solar pump has been drilled to facilitate watering the plants on the market garden site. Solar panels and piping have also been installed to create a drip watering system.
On the morning of February 27, 2025, some twenty women are busy watering and tending the plants on the 1-hectare perimeter. Several permanent beds have been set up for market garden production. The main crops grown are tomatoes, onions and lettuce. ” Before, we didn’t do anything in the dry season. Some of us used to pan for gold. Now we’re involved in market gardening thanks to the project, and we’re very happy about that. It’s a very profitable activity for us and our families. “says Salmata OUÉDRAOGO, one of the women working on the Séra market garden site.
This site has been set up as part of the project to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities in the province of Sanmatenga. The project is implemented by INADES-Formation Burkina with support from Brooke Afrique de l’Ouest and Guernsey Overseas Aid. The aim is to contribute to the reduction of poverty and disaster risk for horse-owning communities. More specifically, this project is initiated to, first: sustainably improve the livelihoods of internally displaced populations as well as equine-owning and equine-using host households, second: strengthen resilience and local disaster risk reduction mechanisms. “ Thanks to the project, I’ve learned about market gardening and that makes me and the other women in our cooperative very happy. We hope that this activity will contribute to the well-being of us, our children and our grandchildren. “says Ajirata SAWADOGO.
As in Séra, the project has set up market gardening sites with the same equipment in 3 other villages in the Sanmantenga province. In all, six villages are concerned by the project’s activities. They are : Séra, Kanretenga in the commune of Boussouma; Soundogo in the commune of Korsimoro; Guéré, Ganssé, Napamboumbou in the commune of Korsimoro. In the case of the last two localities, the aim is to consolidate projects that have already come to an end. In the villages of Séra, Ganssé and Guéré, where market garden sites have recently been developed, women and men have formed cooperatives to run the sites. In Soundogo, a school vegetable garden has been set up for the village’s elementary school, and a students’ green club has been formed.
Apart from the development of sites for the production of market garden crops and nutritious plants, the main actions carried out to date on behalf of the project are: the provision of production equipment, the organization of training sessions on techniques for the manufacture and use of organic inputs, and awareness-raising sessions on the welfare of draught horses and the dangers of donkey hide trafficking. In addition, a process has been initiated to support cooperatives in setting up Savings and Credit Groups.
The project will run for 03 years, from 2024 to 2027. Several other activities are to be carried out to achieve the expected results and set objectives. Activities are implemented in close collaboration with municipalities and decentralized government technical services.
Ultimately, 1910 households are expected to be directly affected. 18,174 people, including 9,295 women, 408 IDPs and 2,338 equidae will be affected. The indirect effects of the project will be felt by 1,291,911 people. This project is linked to another called Projet d’appui au renforcement des moyens d’existences des communautés par la promotion du bien-être des équidés de trait dans la région du Centre Nord et du Nord (EQUIPROMO). This project is also being implemented by Inades-Formation Burkina l’with support from Brooke West Africa.
Patrice DA
