Pastoralist women: pillars of food security in Burkina Faso

On the occasion of International Pastoralism Day, celebrated on June 17, 2026, in Ouagadougou, the National Multi-Stakeholder Platform on Land (PAMF) and pastoral organizations in Burkina Faso, under the patronage of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, Animal Resources, and Fisheries and with support from ILC and the Land Rights Now campaign, brought together community stakeholders, civil society organizations, technical experts, and decision-makers to discuss the role of pastoralism in sustainable food systems.

This meeting highlighted the essential contribution of pastoralism to food security, the conservation of natural resources, and the economic development of Sahelian regions. The discussions also emphasized the central role played by pastoralist women in these processes.

Women: The Pillars of Pastoral Food Systems

In pastoral communities, women are involved in every stage of the value chain. They participate in livestock rearing, the conservation of natural resources, the processing of animal and plant products, and the marketing of numerous products resulting from their expertise.

Pastoralism, Mobility, and Resilience

Among the topics addressed during the day, discussions on access to pastoral and financial resources in the context of policy reforms, as well as those focused on data and pastoral mobility within the framework of the International Year of Pastures and Herders 2026, particularly captured the attention of the participants.

The presentations provided a better understanding of pastoralism’s contribution to the national economy, biodiversity conservation, and the resilience of food systems. The discussions also highlighted the growing challenges faced by pastoralist communities, particularly due to insecurity, climate change, and the reduction of grazing lands.

Protecting Pastoral Lands: An Urgent Matter

The experts in attendance highlighted the major challenges facing pastoralism in Burkina Faso: the expansion of agricultural land, land-use pressure, and the gradual degradation of pastoral lands.

The case of the Sondré-Est pastoral zone was presented as a prime example of this situation. Technical analyses have demonstrated the urgent need to accelerate land tenure security and land registration in order to preserve transhumance corridors and retreat areas.

For the Tin Hinan association, this issue is directly linked to the survival of women’s traditional skills. Pastoralist women possess valuable traditional knowledge, particularly in milk processing. They make butter using goatskin bags and produce curdled milk using techniques passed down from generation to generation.

The disappearance of pastoral lands threatens not only herders’ livelihoods but also the transmission of this knowledge, which constitutes a major cultural and economic heritage for Sahelian communities.

Turning Commitments into Concrete Actions

Beyond discussions and recommendations, the participants emphasized the need to translate political commitments into concrete measures on the ground. Securing land tenure for pastoral areas, protecting water sources, maintaining transhumance corridors, and strengthening dairy processing infrastructure are among the identified priorities.

Pastoral organizations and their partners intend to continue their monitoring, documentation, and advocacy efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the announced reforms.

International Pastoralism Day 2026 thus marked an important milestone in amplifying the voices of pastoralists in Burkina Faso. It also served to strengthen the advocacy efforts of women pastoralists from around the world, who gathered in Kathmandu from May 25 to 29, 2026, in support of food systems that are more inclusive, sustainable, and respectful of the rights of pastoralist communities.

AMAN IMAN, AX ISSOUDAR ( l’eau c’est la vie, le lait c’est l’alimentation)