The Feminist Land Platform mapped some of the best resilience practices of our members, so that other communities and organisations can learn and adapt tools and strategies to their local realities.
This is part of a series of articles detailing the practices of each organisation. Check out our blog to read the others!
Title of the practice: Participation of the women of Banguikogho in the management of their forest area.
The women of the Kel Tin Touhoun community of Banguikogho begin the implementation of their right on the management of the territory and in particular the forest area and the rights of women in general (intellectual property, benefit sharing).
Location: The population is located on the site of Banguikogho which is located 17 km from Gargando (capital of the commune) circle of Goundal, Timbuktu region. The tribe is located in a valley between the small tourist mountain Tin houn imalolnenene (the white laps) and a forest area of Grewia tenax, Grewia, but also balanites..
Beneficiaries from the practice: It is estimated at about 1,000 people according to the Gargandao town hall and the Banguikogho site manager, Women represent 50% of the population so 500 people including young people. They are nomadic pastoralists, practice market gardening during winter periods, gathering and traditional hunting.
Starting date: The community began organizing for their survival and the protection of their environments around 1999.
Communities involved: The whole region of Timbuktu and in particular the area where Banguikogho is located are experiencing recurrent droughts that destroy biodiversity including trees, plants, animals. Water points are drying up. The community started by advocating for water. They did not have access to humanitarian assistance from UN agencies, government institutions. The limited support provided by Living Earth, Tin Hinan/FIMI has not been able to solve this problem definitively. From 2011 to the present day, a group of women and young women from Banguikogho has been formed to enhance its role in the management of their forest environment and space. At the very beginning, women, despite the traditional role they played in protecting biodiversity and the environment, remained invisible and speechless.
Partners or allies for the initiation and development of the practice: Tin Hinan and Les Eaux et Forêts. FIMI was an implementing partner of the Traditional Knowledge project.
Description of the practice: The aspects to be remembered from the best practice of the site and the women of Banguikogho are mainly focused on mitigating the effects of climate change through the traditional knowledge of pastoralist women and adaptation to climate change.
Results:
- Trained 30 people in Gargando/Banguikogho, (Timbuktu, Mali), (15 adults and 15 young people) in plant production techniques and botanical garden maintenance;
- Trained 20 people in the technique of picking and processing the products of Tarakate and In-fine fruit trees in Banguikogho.
- Trained 30 people in marketing including packaging, labelling, product approval.
- Participation in the development of a compendium on traditional knowledge
- Participation in the national workshop organized in Timbuktu on international processes for the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity agreement, WIPO (one in Mali and one in Burkina Faso). It should be noted that this was the 1st time that women and young people from this community participated in an event outside Banguikogho.
- Participation in the sub-regional exchange and training workshop that served at the same time for the revitalization of the network of indigenous women of West Africa (OAFA).
- The achievements of the project have been capitalized by the Banguikogho site because the activities initiated continue to be carried out. Tin Hinan continues to collaborate with the site.
- The visibility was made through a video and photos. The women of Banguikogho are beneficiaries of the project implemented by Tin Hinan “Pastoral Women of the Sahel in Movement”.
- The women of Banguikogho are therefore members of the Sahel Pastoral Women’s Movement.
Challenges: Overcome insecurity with the presence of fanatical groups in the vicinity of the commune. Droughts and the water problem persist.
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