General

After having been severely affected by the drought in Kenya, vulnerable communities in the county of Kitui are now in need of support to enable them to recover and build their resilience to future irregular weather patterns and other shocks. Communities still remain in significant need: in April 2011 an ACF SMART survey of Mwingi and Kitui districts in Kitui Country showed that Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) in Mwingi was 6.5% while Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) was 0.9% and there was one case of 0.1% oedema. GAM in Kitui was at 10.2% and SAM was at 1.5%. The District Nutrition Official reported on November 25th that increasing intakes to specialist feeding programmes indicate that nutrition levels continue to decline, and are expected to continue to do so until the first crops of protein rich pulses are ready in December. The Diocese of Kitui, CAFOD’s partner in the region, will focus its response in Kyatune in Kitui and Muumoni in Mwingi. The communities of Kitui have traditionally raised livestock, though there has been a trend towards agriculturalism, spreading outwards from the urban centre, as conditions for pastoralists have become harsher. Assisting communities to find sustainable livelihoods in the context of irregular weather patterns, changing practices in land ownership and increasingly urbanized economies is essential to building community resilience to shock. Kyatune is a semi-arid marginal agricultural area in the northern highlands with only sand beds and no permanent river, which has struggled with repeated failed rains. Located close to Kitui Central, it has high poverty levels, high levels of malnutrition and stunting and a high prevalence of HIV. Communities rely less on large livestock as landholdings are smaller but the short rains have been erratic and insufficient to establish crops. Rains have only just started and are late and light, and local knowledge suggests they will finish early. In the last six months, CAFOD’s partners have been providing emergency relief to communities through cash transfers to support household food security, as successive crop failures and price rises have burdened communities with a myriad of problems related to malnutrition. Hospitalisation of children suffering from malnutrition and disease as result of suppressed immunity has the effect of withdrawing caretakers from valuable economic activities. There has been increasing need for special diets which many households cannot afford because of low income. Muumoni is semi-arid and sparsely populated by communities of marginal mixed farmers who rely more on livestock rearing. Roads are poor and the Diocese of Kitui is the only agency offering long-term assistance in this remote and hard to access area. The Government of Kenya has provided support in the form of livestock off-take, targeted at 50% of stocks, to relieve stress on pasture, while income has been significantly reduced as families have sold animals at low prices. Here also the seed system collapsed, and CAFOD’s partner has responded by providing cash transfers to increase food purchasing power, along with seed distributions to ensure the planting season was not missed. Rains began in mid-October and thus far crops appear to be thriving. Supporting rapid recovery and accelerating production is even more vital in these two areas given the elections planned for December 2012. This coincides with peak harvest time when the long rains fall in Kyatune and Muumoni and electioneering is liable to disrupt normal farming patterns.

General

Haki na Sheria is a Kenyan CSO that operates in Garissa, in Northern Kenya. The strenghts of the organisation include its local knowledge, trust of the local communities, and juridical expertise. This grant will support the capacity development and networking of Haki na Sheria. KIOS will also support Haki na Sheria's work to strenghten the capacity of local communities regarding for example land rights. The project is partly related to the big infrastructure project LAPSSET, which expands across Kenya. LAPSSET will most likely affect the communities in Garissa as it progresses. http://hakinasheria.org/

General

Chepangs and Tamangs live in the hills and mountains of central Nepal facing many types of hazard that affect both lives and livelihood.They are regarded as the most marginalized and resource poor groups in Nepal.Their tiny land holdings provide no more than 3 to 6 months of food security.The forest and overall landscape is degrading because of the human pressure in forest land.The already formed Community Forest User Groups are not functioning well because of their limited capacity.Due to lack of knowledge of efficient and sustainable agricultural practices and land-tenure rights, the communities practicing the traditional slash and burn cultivation have reduced the cultivation cycle from 3-5 years to one year.This had led to serious soil erosion problems that cause regular landslides that destroy agricultural fields and threaten the lives of people and animals. The main objective of this project is to uplift the livelihoods and food security of the Chepang and Tamang communities through agro-forestry development and improved community-based natural resource management.This is achieved by developing sound biodiversity management and sustainable livelihood activities in order to maintain, rebuild, and revitalize socio-ecological production landscape.Capacity building of CFUGs will be done to strenghten their operational capacity and women's self-help groups will be formed to promote women's empowerment and livelihood.The project will build capacities of local civil society organizations and duty-brearers and promote positive interaction between local government and Chepang and Tamang communities. The project implemented by NAFAN and supported by the Swallows supports Finland's development objectives by increasing food security and promoting sustainable use of natural resources, local democracy and participation of women in decision making. The project will strengthen local organization's capacity in community capacity building and establishing linkages between communities and local government. The project is expected to benefit directly around 2200 right-holders and 100 duty-bearers. In addition to this, approx. 3000 people are expected to benefit indirectly.