WFP/FAO resiliens hos jordbrukare i Grand Kasai

The most important results that have been achieved during year2 can be summed up as follows: In 2023, an update of the project beneficiary database was made to cater for any changes in the beneficiaries status and avoid duplications. This entailed the validation of beneficiary lists in 13 health zones, including 9 health zones in Kasai Central Province (Tutante, Kamayi, Mukungu, Kabuanga, Kanda Kanda, Kapanga and Bambaie in the Luiza health zone, and Nkonko and Saints Martyrs in the Tshikaji health zone) and 4 health zones in the Kasai Province (Muila Mbumba, Kamuesha, Mukambu and Katalayi in the Kamuesha health zone). The list included 215 Farmers Organizations (FOs), including 162 FOs in Kasai Central and 53 FOs in Kasai. This totalled 9,032 households (5,305 female headed) of which 5,000 households were in Kasai Central and 4,032 households were in Kasai. All were registered which resulted in a reliable database of all households and their members who are beneficiaries of the resilience project. Biometric registration was made using SCOPE in May 2023. During the reporting year 2023, 215 FOs (53 in Kasaï and 162 in Kasaï Centra) benefited from trainings focused on creating and animating a farmers' associative movement. Trainings were conducted by the implementing partners and targeted the leaders of FOs. As part of the project's support for strengthening social cohesion, the project team organized a workshop on conflict sensitivity analysis in Kananga. The purpose of this workshop was to equip participants with analytical tools to prevent the emergence of conflicts related to the socio-political environment of the project intervention area. The workshop was attended by all project stakeholders, including FAO, WFP, government offices, UNHCR and UNICEF, as well as implementing NGO partners and resource persons from the two provinces. During the reporting period, 3,868 out of the planned 9,000 households received cowpea seeds accounting for 43% coverage across both provinces. Regarding maize seeds, approximately 55% of households have been supported at this stage. This situation arises from the fact that only households that had prepared their fields were considered for seed distribution in order to incentivize beneficiaries. Distribution of cowpea seeds was ongoing in Kasaï at the time of reporting. With regard to agricultural production, processing and sustainable management of natural resources, it should be noted that the quantity of seeds distributed in the A season 2023 allowed for the planting of 709 ha, including 627ha of maize and 82 ha of cowpea, namely 555 ha for Kasaï Central and 72ha for Kasaï, an average of 12 ares per household per cropping season for Kasaï and 41.6 for Kasaï Central was obtained. This constitutes a low performance, as the project planned a minimum of 50 ares per beneficiary household. This performance is due to various reasons, mainly the shortage of local labour. Small scale producers in the area are accustomed to small areas not exceeding 20 ares per household per cropping season, which will require continuous awareness raising on increasing their willingness and capacity to farm larger areas. Considering the deep gender inequalities of the area and local social norms along with community attitudes regarding traditional roles of men and women, the project took steps to address some of these inequalities. The focus remained on ensuring women's representation in FOs leadership structures to ensure that women can benefit from training and technical support. For instance, in the Kamonia territory, where all FOs already have democratically elected boards, out of the 484 leaders comprising 53 FOs, there are 152 women and 332 men, accounting for 31.40% female representation. To have women in leadership roles within FO:s marks significant progress in a strongly patriarchal society . Women hold the following positions within 53 FOs management committees: President: 4 women, Vice President: 25 women, Assistant Secretary: 7 women, Treasurer: 35 women, Advisors: 20 women, Monitoring Member: 19 women. WFP will collaborate with womenled organizations experienced in the Grand Kasai region to involve beneficiaries in gendertransformative dialogues within our resilience and nutrition program. Illiterate women face challenges to access resources, manage their income activities and engage in decision making instances therefore literacy courses aimed at equipping women with basic literacy and numeracy skills were introduced for women to become more autonomous in their livelihoods and community life. In 2023, the project promoted literacy classes for 956 women.

The main objective of the proposed intervention is to create development opportunities for the population of the Kasai and Kasai Central, by supporting the strengthening and expansion of the agriculture value chain. The programme intends to intervene at community level to enhance resilience especially in rural areas. Investing in human capital and in rural assets, is part of the intervention, as well as supporting the creation of income generation opportunities, and enhancing capacity of local communities to bear shocks and to manage dialogue within a context of consolidation of peace. The specific project objectives include: 1. Food security and nutrition are improved while community resilience is strengthened. 2. The agricultural production of smallholder farmers and their financial capacities are strengthened, and markets revitalized, in order to support resilient livelihoods and increase income. 3. Community organizations are reinforced through activities that contribute to social cohesion, gender equality, peace and reconciliation.