In Chad, a nurturing lake for women and their community
Speeding along in her motorized canoe, Zara Abdoulaye begins a new day of work with determination and serenity. At daybreak, a vast shimmering expanse of water unfolds before her eyes. Lake Chad epitomizes the livelihood of this 53-year-old fisherwoman. Accompanied by her predominantly female team, Zara spends her mornings several kilometers from the shoreline, tirelessly unfurling and retrieving her nets. On this particular day, the lake's generosity is evident as the crew returns to the village with their holds brimming with fish. Carps, catfish, and silures will be sold at the market.
Mittériné is situated on the shores of Lake Chad, in the Hadjer-Lamis province, over a hundred kilometers northwest of N'Djamena, the capital of the country. Zara has always lived there and has been engaged in artisanal fishing for nearly twenty years, which, along with agriculture, serves as the primary source of income for her community. This is the reality for over 12,000 people around her. However, the insecurity caused by the presence of the jihadist sect Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin since 2015 has significantly hampered activities and directly impacted the villagers. In recent months, relative calm has returned, and Zara has been able to benefit from capacity-building initiatives facilitated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The "Regional Stabilization Facility for Lake Chad", through its comprehensive approach, addresses the challenges of governance, insecurity, the rule of law, and livelihoods in the region. Thanks to the funding provided by partner funds (€16 million in 2022), Zara, along with 20 other women, has received equipment such as inputs, hooks, nets, and storage crates, as well as training on sustainable fishing to limit overfishing and preserve the environment. All of which is essential if she is to become self-sufficient in a sector still predominantly dominated by men.
Now, Zara is a leader in her community, serving as the co-chair of the Mittériné Women's Fishing Committee, comprising approximately twenty members.
"I am a mother and a grandmother. Thanks to the income from my business, I can provide for the needs of my entire family and also pay for my youngest daughter's education. My money has also allowed me to invest in a small retail business selling agricultural and vegetable products, as well as spices. It's very important. Now, we are experiencing a better quality of life."
Zara Abdoulaye, Fisherwoman
In Burkina Faso, Autonomy and Female Leadership for Agriculture and Climate
In the Sahel region, agricultural activities have traditionally been the domain of women, with over 70% of the workforce in the sector in West Africa being comprised of women. Whether it is in the production, processing, or selling of agricultural products, women have played a vital role. However, it is crucial that these women have control over their supply chains and can benefit from their income independently. At the heart of this issue lies solidarity and the collective effort to do more and better. Hence, there has been a proliferation of cooperatives and women-led enterprises with newly strengthened capacities.
In the commune of Kaya, located in the central-northern part of Burkina Faso, Zaharata Sawadogo leads the local association of women traders. Having grown up in the marketplace, she now runs her own business, supplying the community with various fruits such as bananas, mangoes, tangelos, and apples. Thanks to the recent purchase of several refrigerators, she can now preserve tons of perishable food items. These refrigerators are powered by solar energy, made possible through the installation of photovoltaic panels in her cold storage room, as part of a UNDP program. This transformation has changed Zaharata's life. No longer plagued by losses, she can now preserve significant quantities of perishable food items. Moreover, her electricity bills have been halved, thanks to the remarkable cost savings associated with embracing renewable energy. Zaharata and the other women in her association have expanded into a new market niche: selling ice creams made from processed fruits.
"Solar energy has been a beneficial initiative for the people in our city, firstly in terms of reducing electricity costs, and secondly, because with the profits we generate, we can take care of our families"
Zaharata Sawadogo, Lead of the Association of Women Traders in the commune of Kaya, Burkina Faso
With these professional and personal advancements, the women in the community, who already held a central role, are now even more respected and admired by all. Their strengthened position is leveraged for important causes such as ecology and climate change, issues they now fully comprehend. The adverse effects of climate change, particularly on crop yields, pose a direct and tangible threat to the livelihoods of women in the agricultural sector.
"We play an important role in raising awareness about the use of solar energy. We engage with communities, and our voices are heard because we are their mothers and wives. Our shared vision and endeavours are dedicated to securing a better future for our region. As women, we epitomize the strength of the continent and the Sahel. My message to the community is to embrace the values of unity, solidarity, fraternity, peace, and social cohesion, for it is through collective action that we will propel ourselves further,” concludes Zaharata.
A thorny and tricky issue of land-access
To take further strides, the issue of women's land rights must be concretely addressed. In reality, most women have little to no control over land management, as it often falls under customary land systems governed by social dynamics characterized by male land governance. Men are frequently the sole owners and inheritors of land. Strengthening women's access to property and land tenure security can significantly enhance their production capacity and enable them to access financing opportunities that lead to innovative approaches in climate-smart agriculture.
For instance, UN Women has played a role in the adoption of Mali's agricultural land law (2017), which mandates that 15% of publicly-owned land be allocated to women's associations. In Nigeria, specifically in Ebonyi State, the revised policy ensures that women have the same rights as men regarding access to land and land ownership, as well as decision-making on land acquisition, utilization, and transfer. These are significant and encouraging advancements, although much work still lies ahead…
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