Tearfund Canada is supporting Diocese of Central Tanganiyka with a four-year agriculture and livelihoods project in Dodoma City district and Chamwino District. The region faces regular droughts, low and erratic rains as well as land degradation.
Livelihoods for many households in the area depend on farming and livestock keeping which is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain and threatens year-round food security. High population growth as well as gender inequality that disproportionately negatively affect women, perpetuate these problems.
This project aims to improve food security and livelihoods by promoting conservation agriculture and Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs). Farmers will be introduced to the potential of conservation agriculture (CA), which has shown to sustainably produce crops in dry environments by promoting soil cover, crop rotation, and minimum soil disturbance. VSLAs form groups of people to pool savings and provide loans to members at favorable interest rates. Gender sensitization-training will be incorporated to improve gender inequalities that prevent women’s full participation and success.
Over the four years, the project aims to work with and reach 4,000 households (approximately 35,000 individuals).