Update from Burkina Faso
Novembre 2024 – Update from Burkina Faso
In the heart of Burkina Faso, the social reforestation project promoted by WOWnature, in collaboration with the Padua-based NGO AES-CCC, has a twofold mission: to combat desertification and to empower women in rural communities. In this video we tell you about the latest progress of the project.
The importance of women and trees in reforestation
In Burkina Faso, women are a mainstay of rural communities, contributing substantially to their families’ livelihoods and the local economy. WOWnature has chosen to directly involve women in the management and care of Baobab, Shea, Moringa and Neré trees. These trees, chosen for their ecological value and multiple uses, are crucial not only to halt the advance of desertification, but also to offer Burkinabe women the opportunity to acquire skills in environmental management and the production of natural products. In fact, the women learn how to take care of the trees and transform their fruits into oils and butters, used in both the food and cosmetic industries. This local production contributes to the community’s economy.
Towards organic certification and fair trade
The marketing of products derived from the Baobab, Shea and Moringa trees takes place mainly in local markets and in the capital, but the project looks to the future with the ambition of expanding the distribution network internationally as well. Some products have already obtained ECOCERT organic certification, a recognition of their sustainable quality, and work is underway to obtain membership in fair trade networks, opening up new perspectives for European exports.
The role of the 2024 rainy season and new trees
During this year’s rainy season, between July and September, new Neré and Baobab trees were planted. The plants were transferred from the nurseries to the designated reforestation area in the village of Zider. These trees add to the 5,000 already planted in previous years, thanks to the support of citizens and companies, who have chosen to do their part to combat desertification and generate a social impact on people’s lives.
Watch the update video!
July 2022 – Update from Burkina Faso
Thanks to your support, since the projects started, we planted 5.000 new trees. The chosen species were shea, baobab, moringa, and African locust bean. More than 3.000 of these, were planted between June and July 2022. Those are the sole months of rain, the only period when it’s possible to plant new trees and bushes in the Burkina Faso climate. Those are trees you adopted last year!
One certification earned and one on the way
There’s another important piece of news. The Union de Femmes has obtained ECOCERT certification, for the marketing of organic or natural cosmetics according to the COSMOS directive. As you know, the women combine the fight against desertification and the climate crisis with the need to obtain useful products for the community’s livelihood. For this reason, they plant species to obtain flour, butter, edible and essential oils, and then sell them in neighboring villages, but also in the capital city of Ouagadougou.
We’re not done! As a further guarantee of the quality of their products, they are working to join the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), which will allow them to export their products to Europe as well. It will be a great step to generate more added value to their products, and stabilize their source of income.
Many thanks to all of you who decided to support this project by adopting a tree. However, our work is not over yet: we want to raise the bar and plant 10,000 more trees together!
In late July 2022, the president of the Union de Femmes de Garango and the AES-CCC association’s contact person for Burkina Faso, who were visiting Italy, dropped by our office and updated us in person.
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