CRS- Sektorsövergripande stöd i Kasaï

This threeyear multisectoral project (from June 23, 2021 to March 31, 2024), in 12 health areas of the Mukumbi health zone, in the territory of Lupatapata, in Kasaï Oriental, financed more than 99% by Sida has reached its end. The contribution has focused on food and nutritional security through agricultural recovery, community nutrition, livelihoods, community governance, social cohesion, gender and conflict resolution. This funding has enabled an improvement in human security and wellbeing benefiting approximately 93,212 people, or 17,615 households in the 99 villages in the Lupatapa territory. With this support, the Lupatapa territory is sufficiently equipped to continue implementing the 99 Development Plans produced by the 99 villages supported in close collaboration with local implementation partners (CARITAS and REFED) and the involvement of governmental services such as INERA and SENASEM. Kasaï Oriental is strongly affected by conditions of food insecurity and malnutrition due to weak local governance and recurring conflicts often centered on the use of natural resources and land boundaries. Smallscale agriculture and mining (artisanal and largescale) are the main economic activities, but the structural weaknesses of these two dominant sources of livelihood are not enough to absorb unemployment in Kasai Oriental and poverty is widespread. Farmers face the challenge of poor soil quality characterized by low fertility, low water holding capacity and moderate high acidity (pH 4.5 to 6.0). These conditions, coupled with the use of suboptimal practices such as intensive cultivation, slash-andburn cultivation, and limited knowledge of soil fertility management, further exacerbate a cycle of low agricultural production. It is common for women to participate in agricultural activities, but they rarely have decisionmaking power or control over the benefits of their work. The approach of working in consortium with local actors is relevant for Sweden as it increases sustainability over time. CRS works with methodologies that bridge humanitarian aid with development aid which falls well into Swedens strategy to work in the humanitarian -development-peace nexus. The application of a developing the market systems approach is also a priority for Sweden. This entire orchestrated strategy allowed CRS to achieve results highly appreciated by Sida. It is : 99 development plans in the 99 villages supported, Support seed development systems with 32 agricultural multipliers trained in seed multiplication for improved seed production of corn, soya, cowpea seeds and cassava tubers. The structuring of grassroots producer organizations where 198 producer organisations (100%) which included 4,950 producers (2910 women and 2040 men) benefited from SMART training from 198 farmer leaders. The 299 internal savings and credit communities mobilized more than of credit was issued promoting financial inclusion in the absence of financial institutions in the area. Overall, the SILC members who obtained the credits set up small income-generating activities. These are small pharmacies, marketing of basic necessities such as corn, food products, embers and production of seeds as agrimultipliers. During the Embassy's field visits, the women and men beneficiaries demonstrated their abilities to earn money for their children's schooling and to meet the needs of their families through their income-generating activities (AGR) The perception of women's rights by members of the community changed due to the presence of model couples positively influencing society. The resolution of major conflicts by the peace club led by the Administrator of the territory of Lupatapata led to the resolution of several conflicts, the most major of which: (i) Land conflict linked to customary royalty and ownership of land for agricultural production between two communities from Kasai Oriental (Bakua Mpuka 2 and Bajila Kasanga 2) and two communities from Kasai Central (Bena Dilungi and Bakua Mfika) (ii) Conflict linked to customary power in the Bena Tshilunde group against a backdrop of political agitation where two brothers from the same community are competing for power (iii) Land conflict between the communities of Bakua Mulumba and those of Bakua Nsumpi who are disputing in several villages including Bashingala (iv) Conflict between Bakua Mpuka 2 and Bakua Lukoka around land boundaries (encompassing the diamondrich Kampunda site). In 2023, Tudikolela trained 53 additional local leaders on genderresponsive conflict management and social cohesion, bringing the number of local leaders trained under the project to 151. This represents a progress of 119% compared to the 127 planned for the duration of the project. Twenty-four religious leaders (two per health zone) were added to the 127 initially planned. Reforestation with more than 240,000 seedlings of fastgrowing species improve forestation for better water retention in the fields. This is an unplanned activity but carried out following the effects of the severe heat observed by the producers. Improved food security, improved diet Strong anchoring in state institutions and with state services and technical ministries (Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Ministries, Rural Development, and the Health Division, Social Affairs Division, Planning, Gender) and the governorate has improved local governance and had a positive impact on improved food security and diet.

The intervention is multi-sectorial and aim to reach 99 villages with integrated development package. The packages largely aim at reducing food insecurity from an agricultural perspective but also addresses livelihoods, nutritional needs, gender issues and social cohesion aspects. The global objective is the revival of sustainable agriculture, essential to reduce poverty, to ensure food and nutritional security for the populations of 99 villages of Lupatapata (in the Mukumbi health zone) and to generate sustainable jobs and income. More specifically, three major priority areas have been identified: Communities are equipped to maintain social cohesion. (ii) Communities adopt improved nutritional practices and produce more food for consumption and sale. (iii) 99 villages prioritize gender inclusion at community and household level. The activities (i) will help the communities to establish or reactivate their Community Animation Cell, to develop a set of key village development plans and to connect the communities to the main government services and structures. These activities will provide the foundations for villages and their members to describe and implement a shared vision for their village and establish renewed and strengthened relationships with key local government stakeholders. Households adopt improved agricultural practices to increase production. The project will support smallholder farmers in each village to organize themselves into PO (producer organisation) using training on the CRS SMART Skills curriculum.  SMART Skills teach farmers a range of skills to improve their livelihoods, including how to organize into groups, use natural resources sustainably, market produce profitably, manage finances, and save money and organize credit, all while identifying, testing and adopting innovations. SMART Skills enables farmers to make the most of their resources and to prepare for recurrent shocks and chronic stresses. The SMART curriculum is skills-based and organizes these topics under five key skills: (Group management/organization, Natural Resource Management, Finance, Marketing, Innovation). Communities promote gender inclusion in governance activities:  CRS will seek greater female participation across SO1 activities by including the training of “Gender Champions” to act as community-level advocates for increased awareness of issues relating to gender equality. The 198 Gender Champions - a man and woman nominated by each of the 99 target villages’ CAC in consultation with the village chief - will participate in a three-day training in Mbuji Mayi on topics including SGBV prevention, the importance of joint decision making among couples, changing norms around child and forced marriage, among other topics identified during the gender analysis included in the baseline assessement.