SCIAF Receives £1 Million Boost for Zambia

Scotland’s leading international aid and development agency, SCIAF, has welcomed the Scottish Government’s new grants for Sub-Saharan Africa.

SCIAF’s work with small-scale farmers in Zambia has received a major boost through the award of £1 million over three years. Commenting on the announcement, Chief Executive Paul Chitnis said:

“Zambia is one of the world’s poorest countries and has been a focus of our work for some time. This new grant will allow us to reach thousands more vulnerable people at a time in which high food prices and a changing climate threaten the security of their food supply. We are delighted to receive this support from the Scottish Government.”

This money will help provide vital support to SCIAF in its work with local partners in Zambia including:

The Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre is located just south of Lusaka and helps to retrain rural subsistence farmers in organic agriculture. The training focuses on conservation farming that promotes sustainable, low-input drought-resistant farming techniques. It will enable farmers to reduce food insecurity within their own communities. As well as training farmers on how to grow organically the project also helps farmers to access organic markets and teaches how the non-edible parts of plants can be used to feed livestock to help produce meat for families and also manure for the fields.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

The new funding will enable CRS to target an estimated 8,000 direct (48,000 indirect) beneficiaries, plus co-operative farmer groups and self-help nutrition groups, in Sesheke, Shang’ombo and Mongu (Western Province), currently recovering from severe flooding. It will promote organic/conservation agriculture, crop diversification, development of agro-enterprises, and improve nutritional coverage of HIV/AIDS-affected households, as well as building local capacity to respond to shocks and development opportunities.

Dioscese of Livingstone

The Dioscese of Livingstone’s Kazungula Food Security Programme provides training in conservation farming and agricultural materials to 280 vulnerable households which are at risk of chronic food shortages. The project provides the families with small livestock including goats, pigs and chickens and promotes agro-forestry to reduce dependence on maize. SCIAF is working with the Diocese of Livingston to develop a further programme of training.