Ivory Coast: Women cooperative for vegetables transforms rural village
In Fapaha, a village on the northern Ivory Coast, women have formed a cooperative to grow and sell vegetables and legumes with a goal of gaining financial independence without relying on handouts. Supported by the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP), which provided farming tools and market access, the women now sell produce to the local school canteen and a local market garden. This initiative has empowered them to play a more significant role in the village’s traditionally male-dominated society. More women work in agriculture on the Ivory Coast than any other sector, making up 42.9% of the agricultural workforce. However, they face persistent land ownership challenges, with only 8% owning land, compared to 22% of men. Initiatives such as this cooperative are changing this narrative and providing pathways for women that benefit entire communities.