97

‪Two Benedictine monasteries were established north-west of the Burkinabe capital in 1963. Their land was then in the middle of the bush, while today, it borders on farms and real estate projects. The monastic property represents the last wooded and protected land in the area, coveted by young villagers and agribusinessmen alike. The article describes how monks and nuns are involved in securing their property rights on the land and their commitment to preserving its natural environment and ecosystems. The improvement of infrastructure, agricultural intensification, national promotion of agribusiness, the adoption of new technologies initiated by the two monasteries for the population’s well-being, and the continuity of monastic communities, Agrarian reforms and decentralization policies have profoundly changed the shape of the region. These changes generate and fuel tensions between villagers and monks over the land question.‪