Rural Women's Leadership Training Programmes and Decision-Making Participation in Northern Burkina Faso Agricultural Sectors: A Mixed Methods Study

This study examines rural women's participation in decision-making within agricultural sectors of northern Burkina Faso, focusing on leadership training programmes. The study employs a mixed methods approach combining qualitative interviews with quantitative surveys to analyse data from 150 participants across 20 villages, focusing on areas like crop selection, market access, and resource allocation decisions. Participants reported increased decision-making participation in agricultural sectors, with women making decisions regarding up to 70% of farm resources. The leadership training programmes significantly enhanced rural women’s influence in decision-making processes within their agricultural communities. Policy recommendations include integrating gender-sensitive training into broader agricultural development strategies and fostering community support for female leaders.