farmers working in Central African Republic demonstration plot

Improving Farm Yields in Central African Republic

Photo by Jennifer Lazuta/CRS

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As the sun rises in the small town of Bossemptélé in the northwest of the Central African Republic, a dozen or so men and women arrive at a plot of farmland where peanut plants are beginning to grow. Row by row, they pull out stray weeds as they check on budding leaves.  

 

sesame harvesting in Central African Republic

Members of the Toumba Ndjara farming group harvest sesame that was planted using improved agricultural techniques.

Photo by Jennifer Lazuta/CRS

 

Nearby, another group of farmers, small machetes in hand, chop down stalks of mature sesame plants. They pile them high atop a raised platform for safekeeping from grazing animals as the seedpods dry out in the hot sun.  

Both groups participate in the I Londo I Mai: Reinforcing Resilience in the Central African Republic project, which is funded by 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. I Londo I Mai, which translates as “rise up and grow together,” provides emergency assistance to people affected by conflict, while building longer-term resilience through community development projects.

Farmers in both groups were trained on how to increase crop yields. They participated in both classroom learning and hands-on training at demonstration plots, learning techniques like when and how to plant seeds in rows with proper spacing and crop rotation. 

 

agriculture instructor in Central African Republic

Valentin Azo, a technical leader within the Fango Yaka farm group, teaches improved planting techniques at a demonstration plot in the Central African Republic.

Photo by Jennifer Lazuta/CRS

 

“Before, we didn’t know how to do any of this,” says Valentin Azo, a technical leader within the Fango Yaka farm group. “We used to cultivate our fields in a mess and sometimes we would mix several crops together and that didn't produce enough harvests.” 

The demonstration plots, which serve as learning grounds, are cared for by the group, with the final harvest being divided among members. Then, members apply the same techniques to their personal farmland. In solidarity, many of the groups also now support fellow members in planting and harvesting each other’s fields, to cover a larger area.  

 

improved peanut plants in Central African Republic

Peanut plants were grown using improved agriculture techniques.

Photo by Jennifer Lazuta/CRS

 

Members say the difference between the land planted using the new techniques and that using old—or no—techniques is marked. After the first season, they saw their crop yields more than double.  

“Before, I farmed with little output,” says Irene Kossembe. “Now… the crops we produce help send our kids to school and pay for family needs. So the techniques we learned were very helpful. I sell the extra [crops] at the market to earn more money.” 

To help families survive the lean season as they wait for the crops to grow, participants received three rounds of food aid, such as sacks of rice and ground nuts, containers of iodized salt and bottles of oil. They also received three monthly cash distributions of $23 to supplement the staple foods with fresh produce and meat from the local market.  

“The food gave us the energy to work in the fields during a time when food is scarce to make sure we have a good harvest,” says Rachelle Bandio. “Otherwise, we would have eaten the remaining corn instead of using it as seeds and then would have no crops.” 

 

Central African Republic farmer in her garden plot

Rachelle Bandio, member of the Fango Yaka agricultural group, checks on peanut plants.

Photo by Jennifer Lazuta/CRS

 

The trainings, community members say, come at a particularly important time, as they are increasingly feeling the effects of climate change. While rains used to be predictable, they now start and stop early or late, leaving farmers either facing droughts or floods.  The increased yields help to mitigate the loss of some crops.  

“A bad harvest means the downfall of my family,” says Philomene Ndongui, a member of the Toumba Ndjara group. “If there is no rain, we will suffer. We have no reserves to rely on, so we need a good harvest each year.” 

Fellow group member, Francoise Danwili, agrees. 

“We found this training invaluable,” she says. “We learned many techniques. Without this training, it would have been catastrophic. I thank and pray to God to continue to protect and help us.”  

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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, and 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 paricipants’ economic recovery. More than 19,000 people benefited from the ILIM project in 2024.     

 

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