6.5

6.5

Bundling Assistance for IDPs in DRC

SEADS Handbook Location: Chapter 6 (book p. 76, PDF p. 83)

Samaritan’s Purse identified 5,000 vulnerable internally displaced and host community households in four locations in North Kivu, DRC, for agricultural assistance as part of a wider program of humanitarian assistance. The agricultural component included the provision of seeds and tools to support the growing of food and improvements in household food and nutrition security.

Having promoted the use of agricultural training groups in its wider programming since 2012, Samaritan’s Purse clustered recipient households into groups of approximately 25 households. Each group received training customized for their region, which included land preparation, tillage practices, crop diversification and intercropping, vegetable production, conservation agriculture, seed multiplication, soil and water management, integrated pest management, preparation of organic fertilizers, and post-harvest handling. The aim was to improve production and productivity. Training also included working together in a demonstration garden to facilitate hands-on learning. All training was participatory and inclusive. Open discussion of problems and solutions was encouraged. Each training module was delivered in under two hours and therefore did not keep participants away from their other tasks and responsibilities for extended periods of time.

In addition to the training, the group members received seeds and agricultural tools. Where security permitted, Samaritan’s Purse organized virtual fairs that enabled recipients to select preferred seeds and tools. Fairs were held well in advance of the start of the planting season.

Prior to the training, recipient households had an average 2.6 months of food self-sufficiency. After the training, recipient households reported an average of 4.5 months of food self-sufficiency.