The project is expected to impact 950 households (305 female) of 650 agro-pastoral communities and 300 riverine communities to reduce food gaps from 8 to 5 months. It is also expected to reach 500 households (125 female) of agro-pastoral and 200 households (110 female) of riverine farmers in 40 target villages adopt at least 3 agro-ecological farming practices (Zai pit, ripping techniques, cover crops and intercropping and composting practices). In realizing this, at the end of the project reporting period, 400 (130 female) households of riverine communities in 15 villages started growing at least three different types of crops (Cowpea, Mungpea, Sorghum)
Target Group
The direct beneficiaries of the project are the agro-pastoral communities (650HHs) and reverine communities (300HHs) along the Shabelle River. The project targets 40 villages on both sides of the Shabelle River. Additionally, the small-scale farmers of the target project group cannot produce enough food to sustain their families until the next harvest due to poor agronomic practices including the use of low-quality seeds, little or no input such as manure fertilizer, pesticides and degraded farmland ecosystems. They also face unpredictability of rainfall due to climate variability. The Beneficiaries of the project have been selected based on an agreed criterion for targeting vulnerable groups. The project is being implemented in close collaboration and with full participation of local community members and stakeholders.
The indirect beneficiaries of the project are 3,750 agro-pastoral communities living in the adjacent lands.
Project Planned Activities
The project activities are comprised of various activities implemented concurrently and in sequential manner. The last six months of the project achievements are conducting regular farmer training, establishment of on farm demonstrations, establishment N-fixing plants of nurseries and collection of comparative data for visualizing the different methods tested under the demonstration. The project achievement are discussed in detail below: –
- Promote crop diversification (485male and 215 female)
- Promotion of improved farmland management (3,400 Male and 1300female)