About | ViSA Africa
Rationale behind the creation of Visa Africa
Since 2015, the founding members of the NGO ViSA Africa have been working with research and development projects and programmes funded by international partners in Benin in key areas of research and development, including responsible land governance, the promotion of legitimate community rights, the fight against socio-economic inequalities and the promotion of gender equality, sustainable land management, food system transformation, and community adaptation and resilience to climate change.
With a view to sustainability and synergy of efforts and experiences, they decided to join forces and create a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in order to pursue their ambition in a more sustainable and appropriate framework.
Purpose
ViSA Africa's mission is to assist communities, particularly those most at risk, in transitioning to sustainable and eco-friendly food production systems. We aim to enhance their ability to adapt to the impacts of climate change while preserving the sociocultural, economic, and political stability crucial for social cohesion.
Founding Team
ViSA Africa was established by a team of African experts in sustainability and rural development, with experience spanning multiple African countries. They have worked with UN agencies (IFAD, UNU, UNFPA, UNCCD), bilateral and multilateral development and financing institutions (USAID, BMZ, GIZ, IFC) and research institutions (IASS Potsdam, TMG Research, University of Parakou).
Together, We Create Lasting Change
Every day, working with communities across Africa, ViSA Africa transforms lives through sustainable solutions and community-driven initiatives.
Action-oriented research
Action-oriented research entails the collection and utilization of empirical data to make well-informed decisions. Precise data and carefully designed research are pivotal in understanding ground context, redressing social disparities that impede equitable access to land and resources and fighting climate injustices.
Community organisation
Organising and strengthening community structures and institutions to ensure that solutions are endogenous, contextual, and built on solid and sustainable foundations.
Capacity building and mutual learning
Building capacity and sharing knowledge by recognizing and enhancing existing capabilities, analysing new skill needs in light of current and future challenges, and collaboratively deciding on strategies and approaches for effective capacity building. This ensures that the benefits of new skills and abilities have a multiplier effect on the target populations.
Stimulating innovations
Aligning progress in agriculture and environmental sciences with the needs on the ground necessitates innovation and proper space to test new transformative ideas and explore opportunities for upscaling.
Our Values
The principles that guide our work and shape our culture
Transparency
ViSA Africa provides all employees with access to essential strategic and operational information, regardless of their position. Management tools and documents are made publicly available for auditing and consultations.
Financial accountability
Every member of ViSA Africa is accountable for upholding the organization's ethical standards, which include promoting and ensuring accountability. ViSA Africa is committed to fully complying with the laws and regulations that oversee associations, finances, and the economy in the country of operation.
Participatory leadership
ViSA Africa values and implements participatory leadership to intentionally and effectively involve all staff members in decision-making. This strengthens their sense of belonging to the organization and enhances synergies between staff career goals and organizational goals.
Equity, inclusion, and diversity
ViSA Africa embraces a wide range of personalities, cultures, genders, and experiences, fostering mutual learning and growth. This diversity strengthens us, enhances our ability to engage in meaningful debates, and challenges us to generate innovative ideas.
Non-discrimination
ViSA is an organization that upholds equal opportunity for everyone and does not tolerate any form of exclusion or discrimination.
Work With Us
We are actively seeking partnerships with organizations from both the Global North and Global South. For Global North partners, we offer reliable collaboration, a deep contextual understanding of our intervention areas, and targeted, actionable solutions. We specialize in identifying and implementing transformative, community-adapted solutions across Africa.
Global South partners interested in promoting South-South cooperation, sharing knowledge, and jointly governing and executing projects are also warmly welcomed. We value a friendly, collaborative approach in our partnerships with other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). Join us in making a difference.