Enabling farmers to identify value chains and directly access markets to generate income raises standards of living. Diversifying income through the creation of small businesses such as community based tourism brings a range of community benefits.
Food security is a priority for subsistence farmers but this alone doesn’t break the cycle of poverty. Farmers need disposable incomes in order to pay for basic services such as education and healthcare. More often than not women are tasked with these responsibilities.
We support farmers to generate income from their surplus agricultural produce, through enabling farmers to identify value chains and group together to directly access markets. We work together with community market groups to adapt their sustainable livelihood strategies to meet market demands and to maximise their income generation potential.
We have also been encouraging farmers to diversify their income streams, through encouraging involvement in a range of livelihood activities and even introducing ecotourism to a few picturesque villages – which gives a cash incentive for conserving the environment.
We help communities to establish savings component in each group to ensure that all beneficiaries have access to a small supply of disposable income to invest or use in an emergency, and as an important means to provide beneficiaries with the ability to purchase necessary materials for the continuation, repair, and/or expansion of livelihood activities upon CRDT project completion.
