Livelihood projects

LIVELIHOODS, FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS

Our main focus in this programme is to build the capacity of the communities to nurture and protect their House-holds (HHs) and Community assets from impacts of Climate Change. This includes provision of humanitarian assistance, relief food and supplies to the most at-risk communities and promotion of nutrition sensitive interventions. Through Vulnerability & Capacity Assessment, we develop community-based livelihood strengthening strategies, while at the same time, protecting productive assets and community investments against climate change shocks. To help communities generate more income, we support engagement in production and marketing of selected agricultural value chains as well as livestock rearing.

Agriculture

RRDO along with its partners has introduced agricultural activities and ventures to improve the food security and income of the host community. Agriculture based enterprises include business activities such as farming, trade in agricultural produce, which is becoming more popular than farming in most villages. Most of the villages practice rain-fed agriculture which is seasonal. Our intervention has however introduced irrigation in areas within the host communities, with strategies that have cut across our Environmental and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) programs. Grocery enterprises have experienced success across all the villages mostly being green produce like fruits, potatoes and vegetables, tomatoes and others.

Livestock

Livestock enterprises includes Livestock marketing, and trade in livestock products.

Livestock marketing is a major livelihood enterprise that is practiced in all of the villages, with our beneficiaries being a pastoralist community. With no designated livestock markets this traders have failed to sustain and maximize the business. RRDO along with its partners comes in to provide insight through research, equity through re-distribution and a conducive trading environment.

The intervention has also triggered successful businesses in animal products such as milk and meat

This means that livestock marketing is a key enterprise that offers a lifeline to most of the households. It was also found out that most villages have no designated livestock markets. Buyers and sellers utilize open places at certain sites at the village as a livestock market.

Value Addition Services

Host communities introduced to initiatives that add value to their agricultural and livestock products. Extensive research and training is done to ensure sustainability and eventually, profitability. Some successful value addition ventures include cereal milling and grinding, milk processing, leather processing, animal fattening, meat production and vegetable preservation.

RRDO has also encouraged the beneficiaries to invest in natural resource-based enterprises. Tree nurseries have by far been the most successful thus far, and includes selling of tree seedlings and fruit trees. Locals can now also engage in the sale of pastures, production of timber from woodlots amongst other viable ventures.

The host communities have been introduced and trained on skill based enterprises, which has been well received and applied, with many embracing and benefitting significantly from them. Beneficiaries have been equipped with skills in the following areas;

Tailoring and garment making
Metal fabrication
Carpentry and joinery
Phone repairs/Solar Phone charging
Motorcycle repairs and Vehicle mechanics;
Computer services;
Hair dressing/Salons and Barber shops

With our support, host communities are introduced to various businesses which contribute to family strengthening by ensuring sustainable livelihoods, and also improve social cohesion of the community. Wholesale and retail businesses have been the most viable, with goods such as processed foods, clothing, household items and toiletries being most profitable.

Access to mainstream financial schemes such as banks has been identified as a practical means of facilitating the host communities with funding to advance their livelihoods, through loans that can be utilized as capital for startups, or acquisition of household and livelihood assets.

While easing access to mainstream financial schemes, we also work with the host communities to strengthen and support traditional social and financial support arrangements such as ‘Ayutas’, through capacity building and financials support where necessary to provide better alternatives.