Hundreds of women in Burkina Faso (West Africa) are making an impact by reusing fish farming water to grow vegetables and fruit. This benefits the climate and increases their income. It even helps to reduce gender inequality.
In Burkina Faso, as in many parts of the world, women are the backbone of society. Yet, despite their significant contributions, they are often not able to fully participate in the society they help sustain.
As small-scale farmers, they play a crucial role in the fight against hunger. However, they often face significant barriers, such as lack of financing and market access. Indeed, running a business is challenging, for women even more so than for men.
Small-Scale Farming, Big Impact
Women play a crucial role in the small-scale farming sector in Burkina Faso, yet only a small minority (8%) own land. This is due to their exclusion from inheritance rights and the traditional practice of land ownership negotiations being a male-dominated affair.
Terms like ‘small-scale farming’ or ‘smallholder farmers’ may suggest a minor role, but the reality is quite the opposite. In countries that are not heavily industrialized, like Burkina Faso, small-scale farming is the most common form of agriculture. This makes it a crucial sector, one that ensures food reaches the farthest corners of the country and provides income for the majority of the population. In the fight against hunger and food insecurity, smallholder farmers play a leading role.
Barriers for Female Entrepreneurs
In addition to limited access to land, female entrepreneurs in agriculture face other challenges. They often juggle multiple responsibilities: farm work, caring for livestock, and household duties, including childcare and elder care.
Access to financing is another major hurdle. Securing start-up capital or funding for business expansion is nearly impossible, as banks require collateral that women often cannot provide.
An economy that places such barriers in front of women is not only unjust but also wastes immense potential.
Responding to the Market and Climate Change
Cordaid’s efforts to create fairer and more climate-resilient food systems and value chains put a strong focus on empowering women and young people (another structurally disadvantaged group).
One of the 20 locations where we do this is in the Hauts-Bassins and Plateau Central regions of Burkina Faso. A team of fewer than ten professionals—including agronomists, fish farming experts, and financial management trainers—supports and trains about 1,400 female horticulturists in expanding their businesses in a smart and environmentally conscious way.
Issaka Tingri, who coordinates the project, explains: ‘Horticulture is seasonal, making income unpredictable for part of the year. Additionally, climate change has led to erratic rainfall, making agricultural work even more difficult. Female entrepreneurs can achieve multiple benefits by linking horticulture with fish farming. Demand for fish, especially catfish, is high year-round, providing a steady income. Moreover, the water from fish ponds, which must be refreshed regularly, is rich in nutrients and ideal for irrigating vegetable gardens. This improves crop yields.’
The Cordaid team supports these women in setting up their fish farms through group training, subsidies for materials, and one-on-one guidance. This assistance covers all process stages, from pond construction and purchasing quality feed to breeding, preserving, storing, and marketing the fish.
With the processing and preservation equipment they can acquire through the project, participants can distinguish themselves in the market with high-quality fish.
Knowledge Transfer and Financial Independence
The financial component of the project extends beyond simply providing subsidies. ‘That’s only one part,’ says Issaka. ‘In training sessions, they learn how to improve their business operations and financial management. We also support them in setting up savings and credit cooperatives, which we connect with microfinance organizations. This enables them to invest further in their businesses, increasing their financial independence.’
The most challenging aspect of fish farming, according to Issaka, is the constant attention it requires: ‘Feeding, measuring, transferring fish to other ponds, cleaning—there’s always something to do. It takes real dedication, and that’s a major focus in the training.’
Building on Previous Projects
This project builds on existing fish farming initiatives in Mali and Burkina Faso, which have primarily involved male entrepreneurs. ‘We’ve learned a lot from those experiences. The networks and partnerships established through that work, such as those with Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Agriculture, are now proving valuable in this project for female entrepreneurs.’
Entrepreneurship and Knowledge Sharing
One of the 1,400 women benefiting from the project is Lizeta Ouedraogo, a mother of three and a newly successful fish farmer in the country’s north.
‘I used to raise poultry, but after joining this project, I focused more on fish farming,’ Lizeta explains. ‘Everything I learn, I share with others. During my training, I teach others how to combine fish farming with hydroponic (soil-free) crop cultivation. In addition to earnings from my fish farm, this provides me with extra income.’
Lizeta is now gaining recognition for her successful training sessions. ‘The next group of trainees is much larger. They’ll not only practice fish farming but also start hydroponic gardening using the three systems funded by the project.’
Lizeta has quickly become an expert in fish farming, thanks largely to the continuous guidance she has received. ‘Whenever I had questions or challenges, I could always turn to the trainers. And I still can.’
Empowerment and Economic Inclusion
‘This project opens doors often closed to women,’ Issaka summarizes. ‘It promotes financial inclusion and independence, expands access to local markets that are typically out of reach due to high costs, and equips women with the technical, practical, and financial knowledge they are often denied. In doing so, these women strengthen their positions, improve their families’ and communities’ living standards, and contribute to national development and food security.’
‘What could be better than that?’
The fact that this project achieves an economic and ecological double benefit at no extra cost is what Issaka finds most rewarding. ‘What makes this project unique is that the same water nourishes two food systems and economic value chains—horticulture and fish farming. The water is reused, absorbed into the ground, and will eventually return as rain or groundwater to sustain the cycle. At the same time, it serves as a business foundation for 1,400 female entrepreneurs. What could be better than that?’
Cordaid’s Commitment to Food and Income
Cordaid has a long tradition of supporting farmers and making food systems and value chains fairer and more climate-friendly. This particular approach in Burkina Faso saves water, promotes climate-resilient entrepreneurship, and increases the income of participants. And by strengthening women’s positions it strengthens society as a whole.