Plant Resources of Tropical Africa

Vegetables farming: Helping women of Touosin improve their socio economic status

In 2005, Plant Resources of Tropical Africa (PROTA) published Vegetables of Tropical Africa: Conclusions and recommendations (PROTA Recommends.. Series (PRS) booklet, a product of a stakeholders brainstorming workshop on PROTA 2 ‘Vegetables’ Handbook.

As usually the case and in pursuit of its three step approach of knowledge synthesis, dissemination and utilization, PROTA widely distributed the PRS to stakeholders. Tin Tua Association of Burkina Faso was one of the stakeholders that got the PRS. The Association identified promising projects that they could undertake to imrpove livelihoods of its members.

And as luck would, PROTA sent out a call for proposals for projects that would translate knowledge into use, based on the recommendations from the vegetables PRS. The call came at a time Tin Tua was seeking funds for identified promising projects. According Dr. Bellem Bassirou, the technical advisor to the women’s group, Tin Tua quickly responded to the call for proposals.

It was with this support from PROTA that in 2006, Tin Tua Association initaited a project to help reduce poverty through food security and improved hygiene among women of Touosin, a village located near the banks of River Sirba, 10 km de Piéla in Gnagna Province east of Burkina Faso. The aim of the project was to improve production of vegetables including onions, tomatoes, carrots, thoughout the year.

Mrs. Woba Tiribe (carrying baby), President of the Tin Tua Association

The project enhanced the skills and capacity of the women in vegetable production including seedling raising, compost making techniques and safe handling of pesticides. In addition, the women were also provided with planting material and other equipment including water pumps, drain pipes, chicken wire for fencing and sprayers. The training enabled the women to be independent when it came to carrying out field activities, improving the quantity and quality of production through the control of dosage of organic manure and other treatment products. In total 44 women participated in the implementation of the project.

According to President of the Association, Mrs. Woba Tibirbé, the project has brought great changes in village life. First, it has brought about economic empowerment of women. They were able to sell their produce both locally, nationally and internationally (the main buyers being from Ghana, Benin and Togo). Secondly, using funds generated by the vegetables production, some were reinvested in other income generating activities such as rearing of sheep, goats and cattle, the purchase and resale of grain with changes in market prices. Part of the proceeds, estimated at 25,000 to 50,000 CFA francs per farmer was intended for home consumption and as gifts. Most of the participating women were able to buy bicycles from the proceeds of their farms, to facilitate travel across villages. Prices of the bicycles varied between 25,000 and 40,000 CFA francs.

Women arrive for a group meeting with their bicycles, bought from proceeds of vegetables farming

This money was used mainly as school fees and for medical care within the household. It was instrumental in complementing the income brought in by men. In addition, the project also created social cohesion (between women and between women and men) in the village, thereby improving the quality of life.

Mr. Labib Ouali, the project coordinator commended the effort of PROTA for funding this project and boosting the women’s efforts to improve their livelihoods.

Ms. Woba Dahandi presenting his sheep to Mr.Labib Ouali, the coordinator of the PROTA funded Pilot project and Ms. Cynthia Sontie of PROTA Burkina