Ziro/ccp: Land sales at the heart of debates on social cohesion The second ordinary session 2025 of the Ziro provincial consultation framework (CCP) was held Thursday in Sapouy around the theme: “Land sales and social cohesion”. Opening the proceedings, the province’s High Commissioner, Saïba Zorome, reiterated the importance of this meeting in light of growing land tensions in the province. “Ziro is an area with strong agricultural potential, which has generated considerable interest in land acquisition. But this pressure is leading to illegal sales and encroachments, particularly in pastoral and forest areas,” he stressed.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the Yalle forest development projects and the pastoral zone are particularly threatened. The administration therefore intends to increase awareness and put in place sustainable security mechanisms. “Preventive measures already exist, and the central authorities are monitoring the issue closely,” the High Commissioner reassured, while calling for c
ollective responsibility to preserve resources for the benefit of future generations.
The High Commissioner welcomed the support of the French NGO Nitidæ, through the multi-sectoral WAKANDA project, which has been operating in the commune of Sapouy since 2020. Project coordinator Adeline Dorothee Kando explained that WAKANDA works in several areas such as market gardening, beekeeping, poultry farming, the promotion of non-timber forest products, and also social cohesion through the establishment of popular leisure centers. “On the ground, you can see market garden sites, chicken coops, and beehives established in nine villages bordering the forests,” she explained.
Ms. Kando also emphasized the particular impact of land sales on women. “In our traditions, land does not belong to women. To overcome this obstacle, we work on the basis of collective groups. This allows customary authorities to agree to transfer plots to women’s cooperatives,” she said. However, securing these lands remains a challenge. Amicabl
e transfer reports are drawn up with traditional chiefs and village commissions, before the town hall intervenes to formalize the documents. Despite some local reluctance and administrative delays, the project continues to cover all costs to facilitate access to land.
As it approaches its planned end in 2026, the WAKANDA project aims to ensure the sustainability of its actions and hopes to obtain a renewal from its donor, the European Union. The goal is to extend the experience to other municipalities in Ziro, as well as to other provinces such as Sissili and Nahouri. “When we invest in women, the entire family and social cohesion benefit,” concluded Ms. Kando, convinced that female empowerment is an essential lever for harmonious development.
As a reminder, Nitidæ, CERDE and Naturama are the project’s implementing partners, with Nitidæ as the leader.