Our partner in the implementation of this project, ACORD-Chad (Association de Coopération en Recherche pour le Développement) is an African non-governmental organisation which implements projects to improve the nutritional situation of the rural population in various African countries. In Chad, ACORD works exclusively in the Sahel zone.
ACORD supports measures that enhance the agricultural production of small farmers and thus increase the farmers’ household income, but at the same time preserve soil fertility. Methods such as intercropping of cereals and legumes, planting nitrogen-fixing plants, or fruit rotation, are introduced. Targeted support is given to small-scale livestock farmers, with activities designed to address important aspects of hygiene, feeding and health in animal husbandry.
In addition, ACORD supports measures aimed at fostering a professional approach by the farmers. The aim is to establish an information system that enables them to identify the demands of the market better and to improve their marketing. Furthermore, the capacities of the cooperatives that were established in the preceding phases will be strengthened. In this, the project focuses on developing funding mechanisms that allow better marketing of the products.
The partner organisation supports rural producers to organise themselves and create networks (regional and national) in order to tackle the problem of food insecurity together. This involves establishing regional coordination platforms whose work is supported by our partner. The organisational development is supported with the aim of enhancing the visibility and positioning of the platforms, so that they can enter into alliances with other partners. This lays the foundations that will enable the producers to participate in national debates about agro-pastoral policies and strategies. Furthermore, the project helps to improve the production infrastructure, for example by building storage silos for the harvest and fenced areas for vaccinating the livestock.
The changing climatic conditions present a great challenge for the producers in Chad. For this reason, the project runs awareness-raising courses for the farmers about climate change, in which strategies are formulated on how to avoid the overexploitation of resources by means of local utilisation agreements and protective measures. ACORD also provides training for the farmers in methods of agroforestry, fodder crop production and soil remediation. ACORD also supports the further development of an emergency mechanism which will enable the beneficiaries to respond quickly and effectively in case of crises. Data is systematically collected and disseminated, and emergency plans and clear decision-making processes in case of a crisis are elaborated.