People’s participation in policy making has been highlighted in Africa since 2000. The conditions for deliberation and open public debate are far from obvious, and instrumental strategies are commonly used by state and aid institutions. However, participatory processes and their political meaning are diverse. This paper analyses the making of the national policy for securing land tenure in Burkina Faso. It discusses the conditions for deliberative processes and their contribution to the relevance and legitimacy of policies in West African sociopolitical contexts.