Overall targets
The overall development objective is to improve the livelihood for farmers in two communes in Burundi through a RIPAT and VSLA intervention and empower the local authorities to deliver high quality extension services
Immediate targets
1. Food Security: Establish 36 RIPAT Groups directly targeting 1,260 rural households in two communes (10-12 villages). ? 12 groups will be established in July 2017, another 12 in July 2018, and another 12 in January 2018. Group Supervisors and Super Farmers will supervise a RIPAT Group between 3-4 cycles (18-24 months). ? 24 village Super Farmers will be trained and become local RIPAT and agricultural experts. ? A chain of solidarity will target another 3,780 households through RIPAT member outreach. ? Build capacity in conservation agriculture among communal extension officers. 2. Financial Sustainability: Establish 160 VSLA groups in the villages, where RIPAT is introduced. This will provide basic financial services to 4,000 households and equip them with savings and investment opportunities. ? The Project Manager, a VSLA supervisor, and the three RIPAT Group Supervisors will be trained in VSLA. ? 10 Village Agents will be selected and trained to set-up and supervise the VSLA groups. ? 80 VSLA groups will be established in Q4, 2017 and graduate in Q3 2018. Another 80 groups will be formed in Q4, 2018 and graduate in Q2 of 2019. All RIPAT members will get the opportunity to join a VSLA Group and experience shows that more than 95 percent take this opportunity. In addition, VSLA is offered to other people in the villages, where RIPAT is introduced. This is the reason why the VSLA groups goes beyond the number of RIPAT Groups. 3. Advocacy: Capacity build the local government structures to be more effective in providing extension services to the communities through the following activities: ? Capacity build 36 RIPAT Groups to engage constructively with local authorities. ? Integrate local government and extension officers in Mpanda and Rugazi communes in RIPAT activities (the number amounts to 15-20 people, who will be involved on regular basis). ? Equip 20 CDT's and extension officers from Bubanza Province (from outside Mpanda and Rugazi) in conservation farming through three workshops/trainings and exposure visit to the RIPAT Group Fields. In addition, we want to share the RIPAT experience at national level through: ? A one-day exposure visit for national stakeholders to Bubanza to see the group fields and hear testimonies from government, extension officers and participants. ? Organise a national conference in Bujumbura on food security with key stakeholders like MINAGRI, IFAD, WFP, church leaders and relevant NGO's (e.g. World Vision and Food for the Hungry), and present results from the RIPAT intervention and discuss best practise in food security interventions.
Target groups
Direct target group: 5.040 households (27,720 persons). (1,260 RIPAT Group members/households + 3,780 households - 20,790 persons). Indirect target group: Indirect target group - RIPAT villages a total of around 25,000 households or around 140.000 persons. More than 50 % are women. In the VSLA it is even higher. (60%+)
Resume
Projektet implementeres i en skrøbelig situation med det overordnede formål at forbedre fødevaresikkerheden og levevilkårene for fattige familier i to kommuner i Burundi. Mål-gruppen er 5040 subsistenslandbrug, der er indstillet på at tage ansvar for egen og lokal-samfundets udvikling gennem projektet. Over tre år organiseres og uddannes målgruppen i bedre og bæredygtige dyrkningsmetoder med RIPAT-metoden. Integreret i RIPAT er VSLA, der starter en positiv udviklingsspiral ved at skabe lokale investeringsmuligheder for den øgede kapital som tilføres via højere høstudbytte. RIPAT har en høj sprednings-effekt og er udviklet mhp. at være mere bæredygtig end klassiske landbrugsprojekter. Advocacy er en integreret del af RIPAT gennem inddragelse og samarbejde med det lokale myndighedsniveau, ligesom ministerier inddrages ifm. møder og konferencer.