Building Resilience and Food Security in Wag-Himra
Food security and resilience is one of Helvetas Ethiopia's main priority areas. We strengthen community institutions and service providers, support agriculture and food security, and promote local economic development through market system development and climate change adaptation.
Households residing within target woredas of Wag-Himra belong to one of the key external threats to the rural community relate to the environment, specifically an extended occurrence of drought and erratic rainfall which could negatively affect the environmental rehabilitation and food security situation. The community is highly affected by climate change and is food in secured for the past 50 years.
Wag-Himra Climate Adaptation and Rural Development (WH-CARD II) project tried to address those challenges through a food systems lens and in the framework of Climate Adaptation. The projects supported food systems change for more resilient, sustainable and inclusive food system at kebele and woreda level through capacitating the government institutions and strengthening the community-based organizations.
The project is also contributing to an improved access to high-quality seeds for nutritious crops and to improved livestock verities. Furthermore, farmers receive training in applying innovative climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices. All those efforts allow households to increase the sustainable production of nutritious crops and to increase their resilience to climate change effects. It also capacitates primary stakeholders particularly women through women sensitive Income Generating Activities(IGAs), Person With Disabilities(PWDs) and youth to engage in viable business like small and medium enterprises. Last, but not least, by working closely supporting for the sustainable management of natural resource of the community, creating Gender and Social Equity (GSE) awareness for the broader community through social analysis and action tool and partner policy dialogue.