Why becoming secretary of my village farmers’ group is important

By Marie Dasylva

Soro Djata and her husband Yéo Kassoum live in the village of Fapaha in the north of Côte d’Ivoire. Here, the local Senoufo traditional norms still hold strong. For a woman to leave her home she needs the approval of her husband. When Djata’s women’s farmer group chose her to be their Secretary, which requires travel outside the village, there was angst among some members about what her husband Kassoum’s reaction would be.

Any fear, though, was misguided. “I was very happy that she was chosen among all the others,” says Kassoum as he recalls the day the group approached him to obtain permission to appoint his wife.

In a context were men traditionally wield almost absolute power and authority, Kassoum operates on another level. He discusses every issue of relevance to his family with his wife first, before a decision is made. And in the case of permission for his wife to take up a leadership role in the farmers’ group, it was an easy decision to make when the couple discussed the idea.

Djata is one of the few women in the group who can read and write. The couple felt that it was vital that she supports the group for the good of the community. “I am proud and happy to be able to help,” says Djata. “I want our women’s farmer group to advance together.”

The Wobin Nbinan farmers’ group, whose secretary is Djata, is made up of 149 women and 1 man. It is among groups of smallholder farmers supported by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Côte d’Ivoire. WFP helps the women’s farmer groups to improve their organizational structure to ensure good governance and sustainability. This involves the setting up of the position of a president, a secretary and a treasurer — who are elected. The groups also appoint a representative responsible for managing their transportation equipment and another for managing their food transformation unit.

As secretary, Djata is responsible for rallying the group for trainings and field work. She also serves as the spokesperson for the group and represents the group at external training and meetings. “I want to move the group forward. When I attend external trainings or meetings, I report back to the other women so that what I have learned serves us all”.

Growth and development are not only beneficial to the group. “What she learns helps in our family as well,” says Kassoum, who explains that his wife usually tests the new methods she has learnt within the group on the family farm. “Our diet is more varied, and our eating habits have improved. Now we have onions, salad, orange fleshed sweet potato,” he adds.

And the benefits don’t end at improving food and nutrition. Since Djata took up the duties of secretary her husband has observed that she is back to writing and reading. In fact, her role as secretary encourages Djata to improve her oral and written skills, thanks to the functional literacy and basic accounting component of the project implemented in partnership with the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Her husband is enthused. “She has started working with paper again…so, she is able to teach me at home since I did not go to school,” Kassoum says.

Djata admits that she is more dynamic and has gained in confidence since she became group secretary. Women now come to her for advice on personal and other matters. She views this as mark of trust that motivates her to aim higher.

“Women must be encouraged and given the space to pursue their dreams and activities,” says Kassoum. “They have a role to play in the community. They should therefore be encouraged, as I encourage my wife.”