Community Resilience Support Project in Buyenzi, Burundi (PRARECOM)

The PRARECOM project was a pivotal initiative in Burundi, aimed at enhance the resilience of rural communities. Its specific objective was to improve the food security, nutrition, and social cohesion of 1,228,863 individuals.

PRARECOM was executed in the Buyenzi region, specifically in the provinces of Ngozi (Gashikanwa and Mwumba communes) and Kayanza (Muruta, Matongo, Butaganzwa, and Kayanza communes).

The project primarily concentrated on strengthening food security, addressing malnutrition within vulnerable communities, and fostering community cohesion. It directly benefited 210,674 individuals, including children under 5 years old, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and those from impoverished households, while indirectly impacting an additional 594,391, encompassing the entire population of the target municipalities.

This comprehensive project delivered sustainable positive changes to the lives of those in need, addressing critical aspects of their well-being.

Specific Results: 

1. Strengthening of the basic principles of food security (availability, accessibility, quality, stability); 
2. Ensuring the availability of means and services for rural households to prevent and treat malnutrition among women of childbearing age and children under five years of age.
3. Preserving the community network through the participation of all stakeholders in conflict management and risk reduction initiatives.

Target Population:

The project focused on several key levels of impact in the past:

• Vulnerable Individuals: The project primarily targeted vulnerable groups, including women, unemployed youth, and farmers. It began by identifying their specific needs, such as skills, technical knowledge, literacy, and awareness of legal rights. Through solidarity-based savings and credit associations and community support networks, individuals could increase their income, reduce risks, engage in non-agricultural activities, and foster social cohesion. Women's access to information, nutrition, financial literacy, and decision-making capabilities were essential for their empowerment.

• Families: The project emphasized improving agricultural and family livestock activities, which were fundamental to the local economy. Nutrition education, health monitoring, culinary demonstrations, hygiene, and resource management within households strengthened economic gains and made them sustainable.

• Small Producers and Community Groups: The project integrated agro--zootechnical approaches to enhance the technical and management capacities of small producers, increasing agricultural production diversity. The sustainable improvement of animal production and soil fertility, coupled with access to input supplies, ensured the long-term increase in agricultural production. Community awareness on social cohesion, risk reduction, and combating gender-based violence contributed to social peace.

• Community: The project envisioned individuals, families, and community groups acquiring the skills, experience, and resources necessary to "produce better," "consume better," "sell better," and ultimately "live better." Improved farm productivity led to increased income, while diversified income sources, such as non-agricultural income-generating activities and job opportunities, reduced risks and enhanced resilience. These additional resources were invested in improving living conditions, including food security, healthcare, education, and decent housing.

Methodology: 

The methodology proposed for this initiative drew extensively from the collective experiences and on-the-ground observations of the project partners gathered over several years. Past agricultural projects predominantly relied on support from agricultural associations, where members jointly cultivated small plots, sometimes not exceeding half a hectare for 30 association members. However, this approach yielded subpar results and, in many cases, was unsuccessful. Consequently, the consortium partners involved in this project shifted their focus towards a household self-promotion approach. This approach aimed to significantly and sustainably enhance the resilience of individual households and, by extension, entire communities, thereby establishing a strong foundation for enduring local development. The core of this methodology was empowering households to regain their self-confidence and self-sufficiency, enabling them to take charge of their own development.

To implement this approach, an intervention plan was custom-designed for each family through a participatory process, emphasizing holistic and multidimensional strategies. The project's implementation followed a participatory approach, actively involving the target communities, local technical and administrative entities, and other initiatives working towards supporting vulnerable households and advancing food security and nutrition in the project area, all while ensuring a responsible and community-driven approach.

Results:
 

• 85% of recipients experienced a positive change, leading to an average 21% reduction in vulnerability.

• Economic capital increased for 72.5% of households, surpassing the 70% target (measured by consumer goods, animals, savings, land, etc.).
• Household production contributed to a 30% increase in covering food needs, rising from 45% at the base to 66% at the end.
• The number of households with a breeding core of at least 4 goats or 2 pigs (for manure production) or 10 chickens increased by 40%: 10 chickens at the base 45% ➔ end 83%; 4 goats at the base 21.5% ➔ end 60%; 2 pigs at the base 14% ➔ end 41%.
• 40% of project-supported households now use an improved stove, marking a significant increase from 2% at the base to 42% at the end, resulting in a 35% reduction in vulnerability in the energy sector.
• Over 80% of households supported by the project now have access to an improved latrine, up from 24% at the base to 45% at the end.