Annual Report 2025-2026

Annual Report

2025-2026

Burkina Faso

In Burkina Faso, our activities directly reached 144 people over the past year.

They also helped 48 women strengthen their leadership and take their place within their organizations and communities.

Project

Corn Processing Facility

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Corn Processing Facility

Inauguration of a Corn Processing Facility

On May 22, 2026, the Société Agro-industrielle de Développement de l’Agriculture Familiale de la Boucle du Mouhoun (SODAF-BM-SA) inaugurated anew corn processing facility in Dédougou.

With a processing capacity of 15,000 metric tons per year, the facility will strengthen family farming in the region while creating sustainable economic opportunities. In total, 125 permanent jobs and more than 1,500 seasonal jobs will be created to support the production and marketing of corn grits, flour, and bran for animal feed.

The project also incorporates important social and environmental dimensions. Particular emphasis has been placed on hiring women and young people, and the facility was developed in compliance with national environmental regulations. An environmental impact assessment was conducted, and 120 multipurpose trees were planted around the site to help offset the environmental impacts of construction.

This large-scale initiative is the result of a partnership between the Union des Sociétés Coopératives pour la Commercialisation des Produits Agricoles de la Boucle du Mouhoun (USCCPA-BM) and the Fonds burkinabè de développement économique et social (FBDES). Its completion was made possible in part through a $500,000 loan from the Quebec International Solidarity Investment Fund (FISIQ), as well as technical support from UPA DI and its volunteers.

Congratulations to everyone involved, and best wishes for the future!

Martin Caron

President of the Board

The contribution of women farmers to food security and global agriculture is immeasurable. Women make up approximately 43% of the agricultural workforce in developing countries and, in many regions, produce between 60% and 80% of the food supply.

Their role extends far beyond agricultural production. Women farmers help ensure household nutrition, promote the sustainable management of natural resources, and contribute to the preservation of biodiversity.

Despite their vital contribution, they continue to face significant inequalities. They have less access than men to land, credit, training, and agricultural technologies. Closing this gap is not only a matter of social justice, but also an economic and food security imperative. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), providing women farmers with equal access to resources could increase agricultural yields by 20% to 30% and help lift up to 45 million people out of hunger.

As 2026 marks the International Year of the Woman Farmer, it is more important than ever to recognize and celebrate their work. Supporting women farmers around the world, including here in Quebec, and highlighting their contributions means investing in a more sustainable and food-secure future.

Hugo Beauregard-Langelier

Chief Executive Director

No more setbacks, Mobilizing for Progress

On a crowded bus, it is not uncommon to hear the driver call out to passengers, “Move forward towards the back!”

This expression aptly reflects the state of women’s rights around the world: far too many setbacks are being presented as progress. From sexual and reproductive rights to femicide and online harassment, setbacks are occurring on multiple fronts, from Afghanistan to the United States.

In the face of these setbacks, silence is not an option. To remain silent would be to surrender to injustice. The response must be strong, collective, and sustained. The International Year of the Woman Farmer provides an important opportunity to advance that response.

Although nearly 90% of the world’s 570 million farms are family-run and involve women as farmers, entrepreneurs, mothers, and daughters, women remain far too often invisible: invisible in decision-making processes, invisible in farm management, and, above all, invisible when it comes to income and economic opportunities.

The International Year of the Woman Farmer is an opportunity to shine a light on the essential roles women play throughout the agricultural value chain, from production to marketing. Throughout this year, UPA International Development will help raise awareness of the critical contributions women farmers make to food security, nutrition, and the economic development of their communities.

Beyond 2026, we will continue to stand alongside women farmers, just as we have for more than 30 years. Because advancing equity and justice for women means advancing society as a whole.