Elevating Women and Youth Farmers
Mali
Mali is a landlocked country where rain-fed agriculture is stressed by climate change effects including more frequent and severe droughts and floods and high variable rainfall. Climate trends in future scenarios imply an upsurge in the impacts of climate change on the main sectors in Mali, including agriculture and livestock. The goal of the Elevating Women and Youth Farmers project, implemented by Association Malienne d'Eveil au Developpement Durable (AMEDD), is to improve food security among women and young farmers through improved access to secured agriculture land, livestock ownership and climate-smart agriculture technologies. The project aims to empower the women and young farmers by improving their access to land, water, inputs, means of production and market access in the regions of Segou and Sikasso.
Leveraging Agriculture to Unite Communities and Hospitals
Senegal
Food insecurity remains widespread throughout Senegal and is a major contributing
factor to malnutrition. Through the Leveraging Agriculture to Unite Communities and Hospitals project (LAUNCH), Development in Gardening (DIG) and Rise Against Hunger will improve food security for at-risk populations, including people living with HIV, undernourished children, pregnant and lactating women, and people with disabilities. The project, implemented in southern Senegal, increases the availability of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables by establishing community gardens at hospitals and supporting participants to set up their own home gardens. In addition to the nutritional benefits, the garden produce is in demand on local markets and can generate income in a short period. LAUNCH will directly benefit over 2,000 people with increased production and consumption of produce as well as increased income and/or reduction of food expenditures.
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Harvesting Prosperity and Resilience
Malawi
In an effort to address Malawi's ongoing food security challenges, Rise Against Hunger and Foundation for Community Support Services (FOCUS) are implementing the Harvesting Prosperity and Resilience project which will target 2,100 smallholder farmers in the Karonga and Mzimba regions of the country. Several factors constrain the production capacity of smallholder farmers such as lack of access to improved/quality seed, planting materials, credit facilities and extension services. The project will train women and men farmers on the use of labor-saving farming technologies and practices, including high-yielding crops, conservation agriculture and improved livestock husbandry.
Planting Seeds for Strong Communities
Zimbabwe
Planting Seeds for Strong Communities, in partnership with Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Zimbabwe will establish a sustainable home-grown school feeding program in five schools, providing a safety net for school-age children while stimulating the local agricultural economy in Gokwe North District. The project will also sustain the gains generated from the Rise Against Hunger-supported Southern Africa School Feeding Initiative (SASFI), which provided food assistance following the 2016 El Nino drought. Planting Seeds for Strong Communities will focus on horticulture, indigenous poultry, sunflower, biofortified cowpeas and small grains as the viable value chains to be promoted as they strengthen household nutrition and women’s empowerment.
Empowering Leaders through Nutrition-Smart Agriculture
South Sudan
South Sudan currently faces one of the world’s worst food crises. A 20-year civil war claimed 1.5 million lives and displaced 4 million people before South Sudan gained independence in 2011, and continued internal conflict undermines fragile food systems. Just a few miles from the city of Torit, where the first shots of war were fired, sits Hope for South Sudan, a residential school and orphanage that is working to protect and empower 400 children at-risk to human trafficking for a future in which they build peace rather than conflict. To assist Hope for South Sudan and the surrounding community in achieving food security, improved nutrition and economic independence, Rise Against Hunger and Lift Up the Vulnerable are implementing the Empowering Leaders through Nutrition-Smart Agriculture project. This five-year initiative aims to build capacity in crop production for consumption and income generation, and increase dietary diversity for improved nutrition among school and community participants. The project focuses on behavior change communication, animal husbandry, conservation agriculture and crop diversification.