Female Leadership Kicked Off in Burkina Faso!

The Female Leadership Training is a training organized for leaders (managers) of cooperatives, representatives of management and other potential female leaders (managers) of cooperatives or agricultural organizations. In Burkina Faso, it took place in Bobo Dioulasso from 3 to 6 May, 2021. This first training was attended by a dozen people from three cooperatives clients of Agriterra: Zoutou (cashew), UGPOS (Onions) and UGPPK (Shea). In Burkina Faso, cooperatives have several configurations: only women, mixed cooperatives or all men. Through this training, Agriterra wants a better inclusion of gender in agricultural cooperatives. What to retain from this first training?

Awareness of cooperatives to make changes to help make relations between men and women more equitable. Indeed, despite their bloated workforce in the various links in the value chains, women in cooperatives are underrepresented. During this training several concepts were reviewed: gender, leadership styles. Testimonials and video projections also allowed participants to better understand the need to act differently. The gender action plans developed by the cooperatives focused on the revision of texts to establish incentives for women in decision-making positions, awareness-raising sessions for spouses, training sessions for women and girls. A series of training sessions is planned by Agriterra to provide this training to all clients. This is just the start for a fundamental change, where Agriterra will continue to work with the cooperatives, the women as well as the men, for a structural change to promote women in leadership positions and equality.