From the roadside to the workshop: Wagashi as a driving force for the emancipation of Fulani women in Togo

In Togo, Fulani women are settling down. Fleeing insecurity in the north, a lack of pastureland, and climate change, their nomadic way of life is disappearing. They are settling in the south and want to integrate, educate their children, and find their place. But in reality, these women are stigmatized, marginalized, and remain invisible.

One of their main sources of income is Wagashi, a traditional cheese, rich in protein and highly prized in the region. They have been making it for generations, but under very difficult conditions: by the side of the main road, under straw shelters, without water or sanitation. Their daughters, starting at 5 a.m., run after trucks to sell their wares instead of going to school. Fatal accidents have already occurred.

The turning point came from a meeting. Seeing the women farmers of Kpévégo working, organized and protected on a site supported by INACET, the Fulani women knocked on the door and explained their needs.

This project is the response of the INACET-France association and its partner INACET-Togo. It includes the construction of a fully equipped facility on an existing and secure site, practical training in hygiene, production, and management, as well as the development of new, structured markets. Simultaneously, it creates a shared space where Fulani women and Ewe farmers work side-by-side to improve production, live with dignity, and break down the prejudices that have separated them for far too long.