Agroecological Solutions for Resilient Farming in West Africa
Empowering Voices, Cultivating Change
Across Africa, women are at the heart of farming and the shift to agroecology, yet their voices often go unheard. This edition shares stories from CIRAWA partners, where women farmers come together with project partners to exchange ideas, tackle climate challenges, and nurture resilient crops like baobab and moringa.
In Ghana, farmers and trainers are collaborating to find practical, locally rooted solutions for soil health and climate resilience. Meanwhile, in Senegal, innovation like solar-powered pumps is helping women regain control over their fields and their futures. These updates reflect the strength, creativity, and leadership of communities driving real change on the ground.
Join us to hear their stories, learn about new trainings and research, and find ways to connect with the growing movement of CIRAWA where we work with diverse stakeholders to improve food nutrition, local livelihoods, and ecosystem health across West Africa.
Project Updates
Women at the Heart of Agroecological Transitions
Across Africa, women remain at the centre of agriculture. But they are not just farming the land — they are leading the transition to agroecology. Yet their voices are often marginalised in decision-making.
At a recent CIRAWA community forum in the Central Gonja District in Ghana, over 120 women farmers came together to share knowledge, discuss climate challenges, and take home seedlings of baobab, mango, and moringa — each a symbol of resilience, nutrition, and ecological restoration.
These conversations revealed both the urgency of climate action and the determination of women to shape sustainable futures. From soil fertility to seed preservation, their leadership is proving essential for food security and biodiversity.
Turning Waste into Wealth: Co-Creating Agroecological Pathways with Farmers in Central Gonja, Ghana
In Ghana’s Northern Savannah, where climate vulnerability is felt in the soil itself, farmers are finding new strategies to adapt, resist, and thrive. On 23 August 2025, CIRAWA partner FIDEP Foundation convened smallholders in Central Gonja for a training of trainers on co-creating agroecological pathways towards climate resilience.
This exchange of knowledge created space for innovation based in trust. Farmers spoke openly about their struggles with declining soil fertility, unpredictable rainfall, and crop pests. Some had already experimented with planting trees to shield their farms or using household ash to condition soils. Trainers, in turn, adapted methods to fit cultural and ecological realities. The result was a shared sense of ownership: solutions were not imposed but co-created with farmer’s lived-experiences as the central component.
FIDEP Foundation and CIRAWA are rolling out step-down trainings where farmer-trainers will replicate modules in their communities. District-level extension officers will support youth farmers, schools and women-led farmer groups across climate-vulnerable districts in Northern Ghana, broadening the reach.
The women’s group of Wouro Maley in Senegal now has a solar-powered submersible pump, an essential breakthrough after years of limited access to water that had slowed their agricultural activities.
This installation secures a reliable water supply for irrigation, revives market-garden production, generates new income, and strengthens both the economic autonomy and leadership of the women in the community, showing how technical innovation and agroecology can build resilience to climate change.
Discover more direct updates like these from CIRAWA's partners on the Landfiles platform.
CORAF transforms its successes into shared knowledge: 4 practical guides for the adoption of agricultural innovations
In its drive to transform agricultural systems in West and Central Africa, CORAF has conducted a vast capitalization process that has resulted in the development of four practical guides. These documents reflect several years of experience on innovative systems for adopting agricultural technologies and innovations deployed by CORAF, namely Innovation Platforms (IP), Agricultural Technology Parks (PTA), Community Immersion Hubs (PIC) and Climate Smart Villages (VIC). These models now constitute the system put in place by CORAF to meet the challenges related to the dissemination and large-scale adoption of agricultural innovations in the region.
Beyond the Kenya National Agroecology Strategy: Tracking Progress to Enable Data-Driven Decision-Making
The establishment of enabling policies and institutional frameworks is widely recognized as essential for driving agroecological transitions toward a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable food system. In this regard, Kenya is at the forefront with the recent launch of the National Agroecology Strategy for Food System Transformation 2024-2033 (NAS-FST). This, along with county-level agroecology policies in regions such as Murang’a and Vihiga reflects a strong commitment to creating an enabling environment to foster agroecological transitions.
Launch of the "One Woman, One Tree" initiative in Ndiago: a lever for engaging rural communities in climate resilience and women's empowerment
On Tuesday, 21 October 2025, the municipality of Ndiago in Senegal hosted the official launch ceremony of the "One Woman, One Tree" initiative, within the framework of the project to scale up the Climate-Smart Village (CSG) approach, in an atmosphere of mobilization and commitment to climate action. This project aims to strengthen the climate resilience of rural communities by highlighting the central role of women.
CIRAWA brings together 16 partners from nine countries in Africa and Europe to promote agroecological practices and sustainable farming. One of these partners is the Universidad de Sevilla.
This Spanish university is a key partner in the CIRAWA project, bringing its expertise in soil fertility and sustainable agriculture. Within the CIRAWA project, the University focuses on improving soil health by researching ways to enhance soil fertility and valorise agricultural waste. Their work is pivotal in reducing dependency on imported agricultural inputs, improving soil management, and boosting crop productivity.
