Burkina Faso

Context

Over 80% of the economically active population in Burkina Faso depends on agriculture for their livelihood. Yet the agricultural system in Burkina Faso, as in other countries in Africa’s Sahel, is predominantly rain-fed subsistence agriculture and is therefore very vulnerable to climatic hazards. Sahelian countries regularly face insufficient agriculture production due to poor and unevenly distributed rainfall, steady degradation of soils and other natural resources, and inadequate production methods and systems. As a result rural families live in a state of near permanent food insecurity.  Eastern Burkina Faso in particular is often hard hit by famine.  On top of these challenges, during the last several years a wider global food crisis has had further negative impacts on food security across West Africa.

Experts and policy makers from foundations, development agencies and governments are proposing solutions to address this crisis – including a new “green revolution for Africa,” based on the earlier green revolution experience in Asia, that seeks to increase productivity and achieve food security largely through an emphasis on external inputs and improved seed varieties. While the Asian Green Revolution had successes in increasing agricultural production and reducing large–scale famine, it also had unexpected negative impacts. Recent analysis shows that key external inputs, technologies and investments used in implementing that approach have led to increased vulnerability for many small-scale farmers. Extensive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers has had devastating impacts on the soil, water sources and human health. Many small-holder farmers have fallen into greater debt and have become increasingly dependent on expensive inputs produced by multinational corporations. The net effect of the Green Revolution has been less resilient local communities, due to depleted soils and water sources, dependence on external technologies and reduced local organizational capacities.

Groundswell’s Response

African farmers’ organizations are concerned that “new green revolution” proposals will have similar negative effects in Africa and ignore proven, viable alternatives to addressing poverty. These organizations are coming together to promote more appropriate strategies for rural development based on sustainable agriculture and strengthening of local food systems. Groundswell International representatives Fatou Batta (Burkina Faso) and Peter Gubbels (Ghana), as well as Bern Guri, executive director of the Center for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD), are working with West African farmers’ organizations, to strengthen this movement in West Africa by drawing on decades of successful experience in helping rural communities to overcome poverty and hunger through sustainable agriculture approaches. These methods are financially accessible to small scale farmers, depend on local initiative and innovation, and are appropriately adapted to local ecosystems. Most importantly, they have a proven track record of improving community food security.

In addition, Groundswell has developed a long-term plan with local organizations in Gnagna, Gourma and Koulpélogo provinces to promote and scale agroecological approaches to farming and strengthen local markets and food systems as viable strategies to overcome poverty and hunger. We are currently assisting local community-based organizations (CBOs) and NGOs working in these regions of Burkina Faso to expand effective agroecological approaches to new villages while improving the effectiveness of existing program work; documenting the context, process, and outcomes of “good practices” for agroecological production; and creating a network among local CBOs, NGOs, and other development actors to share lessons and improve each other’s practices. By the end of 2012 the work in Burkina Faso will improve the livelihoods and wellbeing of more than 18,000 families.

Below is a brief slide show outlining some of the key elements of Groundswell’s work in Burkina Faso and elsewhere in West Africa: