In Guinea-Bissau, women play a central role in feeding their households by cultivating food crops. Through agroecology workshops organized with SWISSAID, they are becoming drivers of development and strengthening food security for the entire family. At the same time, young people are learning how to run microenterprises.
Country, Region:
Guinea-Bissau, Cacheu et Oio
Length:
Januar 2025 – December 2027
Beneficiaries:
2000 people (direct); 20'000 (indirect)
Total project budget:
CHF 446,900
Through this project, SWISSAID pursues the following objectives:
The project is co-financed by the SDC programme contribution.
In the Oio and Cacheu regions of northwestern Guinea-Bissau, many families depend on farming for their livelihood. Most practice cashew monoculture. This trend depletes the soil, threatens biodiversity, and leaves communities vulnerable to price volatility on the global market. Climate change—bringing recurrent droughts and floods—complicates the situation even further.
Women, who handle the bulk of agricultural work and provide for their families’ needs, often lack the technical skills required to adopt sustainable farming practices and secure yields sufficient to feed their households. Sidelined from decision-making processes, they have limited room to maneuver to improve their circumstances.
“There were times when we only ate once a day. The situation was especially tough at the end of the rainy season, when food ran short because the rice wasn’t ready to harvest yet”
“There were times when we only ate once a day. The situation was especially tough at the end of the rainy season, when food ran short because the rice wasn’t ready to harvest yet,” recalls Ricardina Carlos Mbana, a smallholder farmer from the village of Burne Balanta. At 30 years old, she lives with her husband and three children in the Cacheu region.
“What I produced wasn’t enough to feed my family,” agrees Maria Mute, a farmer and president of a local agricultural organization in the village of Dame Uabe. Aged 31, she lives with her husband and children in the Oio region. Like many others, she cultivates peanuts, beans, rice, maize, and sesame.
Segunda Indibé faced similar challenges. Although originally trained as an early childhood educator, she now earns her living from farming. “What we harvested didn’t last all year. Our stocks ran out too quickly, and at certain times, we ran short of food,” she shares.
The worsening of extreme weather events also places a heavy burden on farming families. “Climate breakdown destroys everything. Last year, we were left with almost nothing.” The SWISSAID project “Fiança di Terra” aims specifically to support women—and by extension, their families—toward greater food security, income diversification, and a more self-reliant future. And it is bearing fruit.
“I learned to make natural pest control treatments and to add more value to my harvest”
Nearly 2,000 farmers are training in agroecology and agroforestry. They are learning to restore their soil using compost and natural fertilizers, apply biopesticides, and diversify their crops.
For Maria Mute, the transformation is already tangible. “I learned to make natural pest control treatments and to add more value to my harvest,” she explains. She can now balance her expenses and income, set fair prices, and target sales of her produce strategically. This progress has consolidated her earnings while boosting her standing within the community.
Segunda Indibé has also benefited significantly from the training sessions: “I learned how to set up and lead a management committee. That enabled me to step into the role of secretary in our association.”
“Today, I know my rights,” says Segunda Indibé.
These women remain firmly focused on the future. Maria Mute plans to expand her production and one day run a full-scale commercial farm. Segunda Indibé hopes to start a small business while continuing to work as an educator. “Despite the hurdles, I remain convinced that I will succeed,” she insists. Backed by SWISSAID, these ambitions are no longer distant hopes, but tangible prospects.
“I learned how to set up and lead a management committee. That enabled me to step into the role of secretary in our association.”
The project’s reach extends well beyond direct participants. In total, nearly 20,000 people benefit from better food access, more resilient farming practices, and higher incomes. Additionally, 200,000 people are reached through awareness campaigns on agroecology, water management, and gender equality.
In a country with an exceptionally young population—where the median age is 19, compared to 42 in Switzerland—young people face structural hurdles that curb their future prospects. A lack of training, limited economic opportunities, and scarce resources act as major barriers to their autonomy and well-being.
The project addresses these challenges by giving young people the tools to shape their own future. Training in entrepreneurship, financial management, and literacy equips them with practical skills and opens up new career paths. In total, 40 young people receive tailored support to launch and run their own microenterprises, building sustainable, income-generating businesses.
