Nearly 30,000 vulnerable households will be better equipped to deal
with the fragility created by past conflict and the impacts of climate
change thanks to a US$29 million project announced today that aims to
improve food and nutrition security in four sub-prefectures of the
Central African Republic, reports NaijaAgroNet.
With
support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD), a financing agreement for the Project to Revitalize Crop and
Livestock Production in the Savannah (PREPAS) was signed earlier by
Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of IFAD, and Félix Moloua, Minister of
Planning, Economy and Cooperation of the Central African Republic.
Financing
for the project includes a grant from IFAD ($12.4 million), as well as
funding from the Government of Central African Republic ($0.9 million)
and the beneficiaries themselves ($3 million). A financing gap of $12.6
million will be covered by future IFAD resource allocation cycles for
Central African Republic.
In
the Central African Republic, the livelihoods of 74 per cent of the
population are dependent on the agropastoral sector, which also accounts
for 52 per cent of the GDP. The humanitarian and security crisis
between 2013-2015 and continued conflicts have had a devastating effect
on the economy, impacting food security and increasing the country's
fragility today. As a result, poverty affects about 67 per cent of the
entire population.
The
main causes of poverty include the poor performance of the agropastoral
sector, the impact of the conflicts on the economy, lack of roads,
infrastructure and public services in rural areas, vulnerability to
climate change, floods and droughts, as well as scarce economic
opportunities, especially for the young people.
PREPAS
will target agricultural producers in the sub-prefectures of Baoro,
Bossemptélé, Bouar and Yaloké, with possible expansion to Bozoum after
the project's mid-term review. At least 50 per cent of the participants
will be women, 30 per cent young people and 10 per cent heads of the
most vulnerable households.
The
project aims to strengthen the production, processing and marketing of
maize, cassava, groundnut, red beans, poultry, goats, sheep and pigs. It
will promote sustainable practices that help famers adapt to climate
change conditions, particularly to droughts and floods. Household
members will also be trained in good dietary practices, nutrition and
hygiene. Increasing the availability of highly nutritious foods will be
among project goals. In an attempt to reduce tensions and promote
long-term sustainability, the project will also focus on encouraging dialogue between farmers growing crops and livestock producers.
In
addition, the project will establish 800 agricultural, agropastoral and
market gardening groups while developing market gardens equipped with
solar irrigation devices. Furthermore, 12 product warehouses and eight
input storehouses will be constructed, and 450 young people will receive
training in processing, marketing or services within the value chains
of selected crops and livestock.
Since
1979, IFAD has financed eight rural development programmes and projects
in Central African Republic at a total cost of $160.9 million, with an
IFAD investment of $71.6 million. These projects and programmes have
directly benefited 123,350 rural households.
