Worldveg and partners have reached more than 300 farmers in Burkina Faso, most of them women and young people, to support the sustainable production of traditional African vegetables (TAVs) including spider plant, jute mallow, amaranth, okra, African eggplant and roselle.
The work focused on farmers in six sites in the country’s Djôrô, Guiriko and Kadiogo regions, where farmers routinely suffer from limited access to quality seed, poor knowledge of seed production and storage, and a lack of technical training. This has contributed to declining productivity and the loss of traditional vegetable species – many of which are highly nutritious and well-adapted to local conditions.
The training combined practical demonstrations, discussions and farmer-to-farmer exchanges. Participants learned seed production and conservation techniques, including nursery establishment, sowing methods, harvesting, seed extraction, drying and storage.
They also learned about agroecological approaches to managing pests, diseases and soil fertility. These included the application of compost and other organic amendments to improve soil fertility, the use of dried neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder in nursery beds to suppress soil-born pests and pathogens before sowing, and the use of clean wood ash as a natural protectant against storage insect pest during seed storage. These low-cost practices, using locally available materials can help reduce reliance on synthetic agrochemicals, enhance soil health, and contribute to more sustainable vegetable production and seed conservation.
Researchers from WorldVeg, Burkina Faso’s Institute of Environment and Agricultural Research (INERA), technical officers from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal and Fisheries Resources (MAERAH), and local partners delivered the training.
Participants were also introduced to TRICOT (Triadic Comparison of Technologies) trials, a participatory approach that allows farmers to compare different crop varieties or farming practices under their own conditions and provide feedback to researchers.
Farmers learned about the TRICOT objectives, methodology and how they can take part. Subsequently, over 160 farmers were selected across the three project sites to evaluate different lines of jute mallow, African eggplant and spider plant using the TRICOT method. Technical guides and educational videos were distributed to support learning after the training.
The training was part of the AV4Resilience project, supported by the McKnight Foundation through its Global Collaboration for Resilient Food Systems program, which supports farmer-centred agroecological research to strengthen resilient food systems, improve soil health and biodiversity, and promote ecological approaches to pest management. AV4Resilience aims to strengthen food and nutritional resilience in Burkina Faso by promoting traditional African vegetables. The project seeks to address constraints that limit sustainable production, particularly among women and young farmers.
This work aligns with the Action Areas on Climate Resilience, Vegetable Biodiversity, and Healthy Diets in the WorldVeg Global Strategy 2026-2033. (Download｜Flipbook)
