Together with international institutions, the Liechtenstein Development Service (LED) is participating in the Rescomm II project, which supports farmers in Tanzania in developing into an efficient and prosperous farming community. Central to this are food security and quality in everyday life. Proven agroecological methods are the way to achieve this.
(Schaan, August 29, 2024) The ResComm II project area in the Dodoma region is known for droughts and poor soil quality. Almost 40% of children under the age of five are malnourished. Only half of households have access to piped water, and around 40% of households have to walk 60 minutes to the nearest water access point or well. Extreme weather events lead to massive disruptions in livestock farming and crop failures. Income falls below the subsistence level across the board. These extreme burdens lead to a vicious circle from which farmers can hardly escape without external support and specific knowledge.
Participatory research into drought-resistant production methods
The online edition of the Tanzanian newspaper “Prince Media TZ” reported on the launch of ResCommII on April 19 of this year and presented the project with LED participation. The LED project manager Patrik Aus der Au was on site and is confident that this project will improve the quality of life of the participating farmers, their families and the entire region. According to Prof. Anthony Whitbread, project manager of the partner organization ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), at least 900 households will have a better income and significantly more food security over the course of the project.
This will succeed thanks to joint research into suitable approaches and their application with farmers in the region. They will learn how to deal with the effects of drought and gain expertise in the rearing of livestock. The project approach focuses on a combined crop-livestock farming system and ensures that practical everyday knowledge about keeping livestock reaches the target groups.
The LED supports this project together with Biovision. As the central partner organization, ILRI coordinates the participants such as the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics(ICRISAT), the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute(TARI), the Tanzania Livestock Research Institute(TALIRI) and Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania(SAT). (ikled)
Further information on the project can be found on the website of the partner organization ILRI. ILRI coordinates the implementing project partners.
ResComm II kick-off event in Tanzania: Farmers involved in the project, representatives of the regional government and partner organizations as well as LED project manager Patrik Aus der Au and ILRI project manager Prof. Anthony Whitbread (far right).
