(Mali) Rural women of Kita: Using agriculture as the key to economic empowerment and gender equality

Kita, Mali - Under the luscious shea trees in Bladougou village, Boudofo commune, tens of small farmer families came together to celebrate what they are most proud of: a cultivable site, with sustainable access to water and energy, and continued agricultural activities that generate revenue all year round. An important moment to celebrate with the UN Women delegation, their achievements on International Rural Women Day.

With the clear objectives of helping women acquire and protect their land rights, enabling women empowerment, and catalyzing female entrepreneurship in rural Mali, the Benkadi association, with the direct financial and technical support of the UN Women’s AgriFed program, stands today as a strong collective of 162 women and 5 men. This project is supported by the Government of Luxembourg, and the activities are in line with the Gender Equality and the Zero Hunger SDGs. Like in Bladougou, the program has helped fifteen (15) other villages in the commune of Boudofo to have gender-sensitive land management charters and to support municipal authorities in signing local land governance charters that guarantee and protect women's land rights.

At the heart of the philosophy of HeForShe, this program is gradually but surely changing the quality of life of families in Bladougou. Ms. Tounka Coullibaly was present during the gathering with her husband and her children. As a young mother and a farmer, she was encouraged by her husband to attend training and to work outside the house. Ms. Coullibaly is today part of the Benkadi association. Before the project, she explains: ‘’I remember when we did not have enough food to put on our children’s plates. Those were the difficult times we went through. Today, thanks to my husband’s support and the project, we produce enough goods from the collective garden and sell them in the market’’. ‘’We have fewer money-related issues at home, and we are raising our children in a peaceful and calm environment’’, her husband, Mr. Coullibaly adds. Since the beginning of the project, Ms. Tounka and her peers benefited from the support of the project to acquire potato (50kg) and onion (04 boxes of 500g) seeds.

Under the umbrella of the Benkadi association, women do not have only access to the land, but they also regularly benefit from capacity-building training in the field of agriculture. Its management board oversees what is being done in the garden, and maintains the infrastructure (solar energy units, the fence, and the water point), in good condition.

Ms. Eyong, the Representative of UN Women in Mali, congratulated the village and the Mayor Mr. Tcherno Cisse on a work well done: “this is the only proof we need to say that, indeed, when women win, men win as well”. This project made it possible for families to generate revenues, save money, send their children to school, and provide for their healthcare. It is a holistic approach that participates in dismantling gender limiting beliefs in women and helps the community come together against gender-based violence and harmful practices such as girl child marriages and child labor. Given the visible and positive impact of the project on the community, the Mayor and the Chief of the village expressed their full support to keep girls in school and to strengthen the economic empowerment of rural women through practical policies, that will enable them to participate in the local decision-making process as well.

Author : Zineb Boujrada