Pioneers of climate and economic resilience in Burkina Faso and Benin

This project aims to improve the climatic and economic resilience of women through the preservation and restoration of biodiversity and the sustainable use of forest and agroforestry ecosystems. It aims to reduce the technical informational and socio-cultural barriers faced by women and young women in communities bordering the targeted ecosystems. Project activities include: (1) building technical capacity in agroforestry and agro-ecology; (2) strengthening skills in the management of green enterprises focusing on the sustainable harvesting and valorization of non-timber forest products; and (3) enhancing transformative leadership for active participation in local land and forest resource management and governance mechanisms. The project seeks to benefit at least 4 475 people in 14 communities in Burkina Faso and Benin including 4030 women 1800 internally displaced people and 28 women's associations. It also seeks to strengthen 14 local forest and land governance bodies.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased adoption by women of greener agroforestry practices to preserve and restore biodiversity; (2) improved economic and environmental performance of women-owned green enterprises; (3) strengthened and more inclusive management and governance of forest and agroforestry ecosystems that are better adapted to climate change.