Central African Republic

Improving food security and strengthening agricultural production in areas affected by conflicts in North Eastern CAR

Since 2006, the North-East of the Central African Republic (CAR) is the scene of successive acts of violence which have led to many population movements. Very impacted by these regular clashes, the prefectures of Vakaga and High-Kotto (Sam Ouandja area in particular) are geographically but also socio-economically much marginalized because of their long distance from the capital and the particularly poor road infrastructure serving them. They are also the victims of discriminating factors, the population’s Muslim majority in these regions (90% Muslims 10% Christians) being almost the reverse of the national average. The highly volatile environment of the area is even more weakened by the open conflict at the border regions, in South Eastern Chad and Darfur.

The main source of income of households is agriculture. Among the population living on small businesses, some people grow and sell part of their crops on the local market. Income generated by the service industries only concerns 3% of the households.

The main crop remains sorghum. Despite serious security and logistics constraints, Triangle G H has managed to distribute food and vegetable seeds to households in several localities.

Despite the growing number of incidents, most farmers were able to grow from seeds provided; some were able to buy a supplement.

The cultivated surface is estimated at between 0.5 ha and 1.5 ha, with a few exceptions of 2 and 3 hectares, representing an average of 1.17 ha per household.

Farmers are currently continuing or even finalizing the harvest, which was interrupted by the attack on November 24. The post-harvest monitoring will enable us to have more accurate data in terms of quantities harvested.

Households lack equipment for agricultural production, due to the low durability of basic tools and to the lootings that took place during and after the attack.

This program aims at providing households with access to good quality seeds in order to reduce the level of food vulnerability in the targeted area, and to maximize the impact of agricultural labor by strengthening the technical skills of farmers.

Purchase of agricultural inputs (seeds and tools): kits of seeds have been defined taking into account the climatic conditions and nutritional habits of the target population. The distribution of tools will be implemented in the same way as for seeds.

Technical training to improve agricultural practices, and technical strengthening of groups: Technical support on basic knowledge (land preparation, hoeing, sowing, weeding, pricking out, storage…) will be provided during the distributions. In a second step, control methods against pests will be presented to farmers in order to ensure e better protection of their production.

Monitoring and support of the beneficiaries practices: the teams are coordinated by staff that has been working for four years with Triangle G H in the North-East of the country, and who are therefore aware of the mandate of the organization and its search for quality of intervention.

Post-harvest assessment: data analysis will enable the assessment of the overall production in the area, as well as the measurement of the program’s impact on the concerned population.