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Problem Addressed Due to the combined effects of HIV/AIDS, erratic rainfall patterns and poor governance, for the last four years agricultural production in Zimbabwe has not met the annual requirement of 2.2 million MT of cereals, demanding a massive relief operation by local and humanitarian agencies. Even in good years, vulnerable communal farmers in rural Zimbabwe are increasingly unable to grow sufficient food to feed their families for a year, achieving an average harvest of only 0.5MT per hectare. The overwhelming reliance of communal farmers on maize and unsustainable farming techniques is adversely affecting soil fertility and leading to environmental degradation. This project seeks to move farmers away from chronic poverty and a dependence on relief aid to sustainable livelihoods based on the efficient implementation of conservation farming techniques, The project is known as “Operation Joseph” (OJ) based on the Biblical character Joseph whose diligence saved Egypt from starvation during 7 years of famine,
Summary of PRP Activities to date The primary focus of OJ has been to help the vulnerable to provide food for their families through promoting sustainable farming by teaching conservation farming (CF) and good farm management. The project works in 82 sites located in all the 10 provinces of Zimbabwe in all natural regions. At these sites there are currently about 60 families per site, see Annex IV for greater detail. All the households have access to communal land. Operation Joseph (OJ) is in its fourth year of operation with funding to June 2006. The first 3 years included free distribution of inputs to farmers. However, from 2005 a new system was introduced whereby farmers trade part of the produce for next year’s inputs. This is to break the dependency syndrome and stimulate communities to stand on their own, and is part of the exit strategy – see section 10. In its first year of trading OJ received a total value of cash and produce of ZWD $397,411,795 (GBP 26,494). Current direct beneficiaries are 4,566 households including about 50% females. These beneficiaries include the poor, orphans, widows, elderly, sick and those without formal jobs. The basic requirement is access to a field in which to farm in. OJ plans to expand to 13,500 vulnerable households in 2006/7. At an average of six per family, this gives a total group of direct beneficiaries of 81,000 marginalized people. Through the farmer groups, each trained farmer will also be encouraged to commit to train a minimum of two neighbours during the three-year timeframe. This will increase the number of indirect beneficiaries to 27,000 families (162,000 people). See table of beneficiaries below.
Table: Beneficiaries (based on total accumulated by year)
* Number of people based on 6 per family. ** Downsized from original target of 20,528 families *** Based on average attendance of visitors at training, but not confirmed practice of CF in field. Actual figure is likely to be far higher because of spontaneous copying and adoption without necessarily attending formal training.
River of Life (Operation Joseph) has also been heavily involved in training of Conservation Farming in Zimbabwe and into 13 other African countries. In particular, RoL on behalf of FAO Zimbabwe has provided 6 training workshops to staff of over 20 different NGO’s (including many of the PRP partners) and an ever increasing number of Arex extension staff. In addition, the Church has trained many other different organisations and individuals in CF, as well as run a number of field days showing CF in action, and giving presentations to other NGO staff on CF. The CF demonstration plots and model farmer at River of Life Westgate Church are visited on a regular basis by individuals, senior Government officials, NGO staff, and business people.
Situation in Project Area As a result of successive droughts and an economic crisis, subsistence farming communities have become extremely vulnerable. Assets have been severely depleted and savings used up. Levels of nutrition throughout Zimbabwe are low with many families are uncertain where they will find food for their next meal. Supplies of maize from the GMB are inadequate and erratic and relief distributions are currently in place. Households also face a decrease in labour due to AIDS and labour migration and many have experienced a loss of non-farming remittances due to the economic crisis. National food production has been low for many years, often well below one million MT, which is far below the national annual requirement of about 2.2 million MT. Although weather has mitigated against good harvests and this is compounded by untimely delivery of inputs to farmers, this is often used as an excuse for what is essentially poor crop production techniques (especially the use of the plough to invert soil) and poor management. At the OJ project sites, crop production levels have improved for beneficiaries compared to their neighbours, and we believe it is a matter of time before they are able to “stand on their own feet”.
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Operation Joseph River of Life Westgate Church - part of…. |
