In the small village of Bossemptélé in the northwest of the Central African Republic, Bernard Moyoukpemna stood beside his home, calling for his assistant. "Miss! Miss! Are you in there?" he called out. A small black and white cat peeked out the door, slowly stretching as she walked towards him.

Photo by Jennifer Lazuta/CRS

Adopting a cat as a family pet was uncommon in this part of the country, but Miss had a very important job: protecting Bernard's harvested crops from mice until it was time to eat or sell them. "After the harvest, I stock my crops until just after the first rain because everyone wants to sell immediately, and the prices are low," Bernard explained. "The risk, of course, is mice, especially with peanuts. But I have Miss who takes care of that."

Bernard's need for protection became more crucial after his average harvest yields more than doubled. As a participant in the I Londo I Mai project, which translates as “rise up and grow together” in the local language, he received training on improved agricultural techniques in December 2023. I Londi I Mai is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and implemented by Catholic Relief Services and local partner All for Peace and Dignity.

Photo by Jennifer Lazuta/CRS

The training included theoretical learning and practical sessions at demonstration plots. Bernard and other local farmers learned about planting seeds in straight lines, proper spacing, field clearing, and crop rotation. They applied these techniques to their personal fields, resulting in significantly better yields. "I made the mistake of planting seeds too close together because I thought it would increase my yield. But spacing them out gives me more crops. They grow better," Bernard said. "Those not in the group saw our results and congratulated us."

In addition to agricultural training, Bernard, who raises pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens, participated in a similar training on best animal-raising practices. He learned about different animals’ nutritional needs, how to construct shelters and fencing, and care for pregnant females. He has since trained others in his village in what he learned.

Photo by Jennifer Lazuta/CRS

As part of the economic component of the project, Bernard joined a Savings and Internal Lending Community, or SILC group. This provided him with a safe place to save money and access loans to grow his agricultural and livestock activities. "I appreciate all the different aspects of this program because I learned a lot and have more profits now," Bernard said. "The agricultural training has doubled my crops, and SILC will help me save money to buy more animals and diversify. Diversifying will increase my chances of success because relying on just one project puts you at risk if it goes wrong. This will help improve my way of life."

As Bernard scratched Miss behind her ears, he reflected, "Learning is never finished. No matter how old you are, you are never too old to learn new things."

I Londo I Mai  is a 24-month project  that began in June 2023 and runs through May 2025. The project is funded by USAID/BHA, implemented by Catholic Relief Services with our local partner All for Peace and Dignity.  The project aims to strengthen the capacity of vulnerable and conflict-affected families and improve their economic resilience, particularly in the sub-prefectures of Bouar, Bossemptélé and Bozoum in the northwest of the Central African Republic.    

To achieve this goal, the project conducted three in-kind food distributions to families affected by conflict and included a cash transfer for nutrient-rich products, the distribution of seeds and farming tools, and training on agricultural practices to improve agricultural production.     

In addition to ensuring access to food, the project also facilitated the creation and support of Savings and Internal Lending Communities groups. It included training on developing business plans for young entrepreneurs and sanctioned cash grants for start-ups to improve participants’ economic recovery. More than 19,000 people benefited from the ILIM project in 2024.     

Help Improve Farming Around the World