4 m² rice field for a Batwa family in Burundi

Today, many Batwa are affected by poverty and land shortages, but they find ways to shape their everyday lives with creativity and a sense of community. In small groups, they share rice mills or cultivate fields together. They also produce their own tools from available materials: spade handles are made from branches, watering cans from old plastic bottles. This strength is particularly evident in the village of Muyange, in the far south of Burundi: in the midst of a rural region heavily influenced by agriculture, the Batwa preserve their knowledge and traditions – even though they are one of the most disadvantaged and marginalized indigenous groups. They have little access to education or political participation. Women are particularly affected in several ways: they are less likely to attend school, experience violence more frequently, and often live in isolation (Ramsay 2010). Another key problem for the Batwa is their lack of access to land: many do not have official land rights and are unable to assert their claims politically (Minority Rights Group International 2023). At the same time, Burundi is suffering from a severe food crisis caused by a combination of climate-related disasters, social challenges such as land distribution, and economic weakness such as inflation. According to the World Food Programme (2024), over 1.9 million people there are acutely affected by hunger. Despite fertile soil, the country has to import staple foods such as rice. In 2023, rice imports amounted to over USD 5.7 million – yet local cultivation would be cheaper and more sustainable (OEC 2023). This is where the good deed comes in: it combines food security with social participation by enabling Batwa women to strengthen rice cultivation and live more self-determined lives.