Annual Report 2025-2026
Annual Report
2025-2026

Mali

In Mali, 2,620 people directly benefited from our activities this year. Among them, 500 women were supported in strengthening their leadership and becoming agents of change within their organizations and communities.

Project
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Dou Touloma

For the fifth consecutive year, the Dou Touloma project continued to support women farmers in Mali, helping to strengthen their agency and their role within their families, organizations, and communities.

As the project nears its conclusion, this past year's activities focused on consolidating achievements to ensure they continue to have a lasting impact long after the project ends.

 

Transforming Social Norms

This year, 749 men participated in workshops on positive masculinity, the equitable sharing of responsibilities, gender-based violence, and self-esteem.

Meanwhile, 473 women continued their literacy journey, developing skills relevant to their agricultural activities and advancing gender equality.

Three associations of rural women entrepreneurs also carried out awareness-raising campaigns on the economic rights of women farmers.

 

Strengthening Inclusive Governance

Analysis of the project's results over the past year shows that women's voices are being heard more and more within their organizations.

Today, 97% of women members participate in decision-making, 91% report being satisfied with the influence they have within their organizations, and 99% use the services offered by their cooperative.

Investing in Communities

Following the allocation of economic support funds, several community investments supported by the project are now underway. Agri-food processing initiatives, agricultural storage facilities, and community gardens are already operational and contributing to the revitalization of the local economy.

In addition, 354 community leaders received training in a range of management tools to help continue supporting local organizations after the project comes to an end.

Dou Touloma will continue until October 2026. Until then, one thing is certain: the women participating in the project are increasingly establishing themselves as key drivers of the social and economic development of their families and communities.

The Dou Touloma project is implemented by the International Agricultural Alliance, which brings together SOCODEVI, CECI, UPA Développement international (UPA DI), and Desjardins International Development (DID). The project is made possible through financial support from the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada.

Haiti
Peru
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.

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