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Our work in the Sahel (Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger)

Overview

The Sahel is a vast region between the Sahara desert to the north and the Sudan savannah to the south, stretching from east to west across Africa. Our Sahel program is being implemented in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

Food and nutritional insecurity are major concerns for many Sahelian communities. While its food security issues stem from the combined effects of several factors including poverty, poor governance, deficient agricultural development and environmental degradation, the Sahel is also one of the regions of the world most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Climate change exacerbates poverty, economic crises, conflicts over natural resources, political instability and gender inequities.

Armed conflict between militias and banditry also intensify poverty and nutritional insecurity by affecting livelihoods, causing displacement and impeding the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices.

Our work in the Sahel

Démocratie et participation citoyenne | Democracy and citizen participation icon
Democracy and citizen participation
Climat et justice écologique | Climate and ecological justice icon
Ecological justice
Justice pour les femmes | Justice for women icon
Justice for women
Paix et réconciliation | Peace and rconciliation
Peace and reconciliation
Aide humanitaire | Humanitarian aid icon
Humanitarian aid

In Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada supports various sustainable development initiatives. 

Our humanitarian response in the region, generally addressing the fallouts of food crises, conflicts and climate disasters, reaches the most vulnerable households among the internally displaced and refugee populations and the local and host communities. More specifically, we help meet food needs at lean times; improve living conditions and livelihoods; foster social cohesion and promote environmental protection.

Implemented with local partners, the Food and nutritional security and climate change in the Sahel project (designated by the French acronym SANC2S) aims to improve the food security of almost 147,000 people, especially women and youths working in the agriculture, livestock, and fisheries sectors.

With financial support from Global Affairs Canada, the five-year project will:

  • Support sustainable and collaborative natural resource management initiatives

  • Provide technical and financial support to community-based climate change adaptation initiatives

  • Support the production, diversification and processing of local food products through vocational training the development of infrastructure including irrigated market gardens, food processing units and grain storage facilities

  • Support income generation activities for women

  • Promote inclusive governance by ensuring that gender equality and the interests of the most vulnerable groups are accorded due consideration in food security policies


Among farming communities, the project also aims to:

  • Facilitate access to markets by providing training and agricultural services and by organizing trade events

  • Strengthen capacity for defending interests through targeted advocacy on food policies

  • Train and sensitize local authorities and producers on food and nutritional security policies

What is next in our work?

Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada and its local partners in the Sahel will continue promoting the resilience and sustainability of food systems in the context of climate change by supporting economically viable family farming based on sustainable, eco-friendly solutions.

Resources

Project SANC2S summary image

Project SANC2S Summary

To find out more about our current project in the Sahel, take a look at this summary, which includes its highlights, objectives and partners.

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