Barani Area Development Project

Rainfall is limited in these districts and the land is prone to erosion. Smallholders own about 62 per cent of the farms in the project area, where most families practice subsistence agriculture. The objective of the project was to help poor farmers make the area more productive, in terms of both crops and livestock. Investments supported measures to control soil erosion and to conserve water resources and improve animal health. Farmers formed cooperative societies to manage resources and to receive training and credit. The experiences gained from this project were later replicated in other zones.

By the end of the project 202 cooperative societies had been established, bringing credit access to farmers for improvements to land, livestock and crop production. Crop yields rose and animal breeding and health improved significantly as a result of project activities.

Source: IFAD