Neem tree, vegetable gardening for climate change mitigation and Socio-economic needs. SDG; 1 End poverty in all its forms SDG; 2 End hunger, achieve food security and promote sustainable agriculture SDG; 13 Take action to combat climate change

#SDGAction42694

Description

Intro

A socio-economic survey on the living standards of people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS was carried out by FAP NGO Cameroon which reviled that these group of persons die most often due to stigmatisation, lack of medication and money to pay transport to hospital for medication and poor feeding habits due to poverty. Based on survey report the project titled: Neem tree,vegetable gardening for climate change mitigation and Socio-economic needs in Ngoketunjia targeting people living with HIV/AIDS was developed and implemented between 2014-2016 targeting 600 households grouped in 15 groups of people living with HIV/AIDS

Objective of the practice

The objective was to contribute to the fight against climate change and enhance the living conditions of people living with HIV/AIDS in three villages in Ngoketunjia Division.This objective responded to the following SDGs; SDG 1; No Poverty; End poverty in all its forms everywhere. SDG 2;Zero Hunger; End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture SDG 3; Good Health and Wellbeing; Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages and SDG 13; Climate Action; Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.The following specific objectives were achieved; To encourage and promote bee keeping for alternative income generating activities food and medicine, and conservation of biodiversity:(Economic and Environment) Within this objective the following Results were achieved in 2016. A total 107 Beneficiaries (people living with HIV/AIDS) (51 men, 24 youths and 33 women), knowledge improved on bee keeping, they produced 107 bee hives from the knowledge gained from trainings using local materials and were supported with 200 modern bee hives by the projecti. A total of 307 bee hives installed within the community which produced a total of 800 litres of honey within the first year of the project part of the honey used for food, medicine etc, and part sold to the market for income. To promote home gardening for nutritional, health and income values (Social and Economic) The following Results were achieved in 2016. A total of 671 community members living with HIV/AIDS trained on home gardening (417 women, 77 men and 177 youths). A total of 671 beneficiaries own private vegetable gardens in their back yards and along streams, vegetables produced were sold to people at home and in local markets to generate income and part consumed in different households. Health, income and nutrition situation improved. To produce and out plant at least 6000 trees seedlings to mitigate climate change (Environment-Climate Change)The following Results were achieved in 2016. A total of 197 community members living with HIV/AIDS trained on tree nursery establishment. (Youths 53, Women 91 and men 53). A total of 03 community nurseries were put in place with close to 8000 tree seedlings in all the nurseries. A total 25 hectares of watershed area, secret forest, farms, apiaries and private fuel plantation planted with trees from the nurseries. A total of 15 common initiative groups (institutions) made up of 600 households benefited from the innovative changes in line with the transformative spirit of the 2030 Agenda.The main challenges were that people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS die most often due to stigmatization, lack of medication and mean to transport themselves to hospital for medication and above all poor feeding habits due to poverty. These challenges were overcome through capacity building and material support for bee keeping, gardening and tree planting. Income generated from sales of honey and garden crops improved family financial situation while part of the honey and vegetables were consumed to improve health and nutritional situation as well.

Partners

i. Beneficiaries; 600 households in 15 groups of people living with HIV and AIDS in three villages. Implementers: FOREST AND AGROFORESTRY PROMOTERS (FAP NGO) Cameroon main implementer and initiators of the project. NGOKETUNJIA AIDS FIGHTERS (NAFI): Ndop based NGO, providing trainings and follow up to beneficiaries. Donor: GEF SGP UNDP Cameroon funded the project in 2014-2016. Memorandum of understanding signed between FAP NGO and Donor on activities and timeframe.Two orientation meetings with FAP NGO and Donor validated the project activities. Same too with FAP NGO and NAFI validated service contract.

Implementation of the Project/Activity

Initiation; A socio-economic survey on the living standards of people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS carried out by FAP NGO Cameroon reviled that these group of persons die most often due to stigmatisation, lack of medication and mean to transport themselves to hospital for medication and above all poor feeding habits due to poverty. It was based on the survey report that the project titled: Neem tree,vegetable gardening for climate change mitigation and Socio-economic needs in Ngoketunjia targeting people living with HIV/AIDS developed. This project was implemented between 2014-2016 targeting 600 households living with HIV/AIDS grouped in 15 groups. Planning; several meetings were held with FAP NGO Cameroon, NAFI and the District health services to finalised plan of activities and share responsibilities for implementation. The planning meetings were participatory involving all stakeholders’ representatives. The planning meeting updated the project activities with role and responsibilities of the different stakeholders understood.Execution: FAP NGO Cameroon was the main executor of the project with Memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed with the donor (GEF SGP UNDP) with project activities and expected results clearly stated in the Terms of reference (TOR). FAP NGO Cameroon established a service contract with NAFI to implement some activities in their area of expertise. The project 15 beneficiaries groups were put in place and part of the implementation starting from mobilization of participants, training space and local material resources used in the implementation of the project. Gender mainstreaming in implementation. Amongst the 15 groups selected majority of them were women with children. Some of the women were single parent i.e mother of children without father. The project laid emphases in empowering these women economically since they are the backbone of the different household economy. The training and development of Gardens did not only provide additional income through sales of vegetables but also gave fresh vegetables to household and neighbours through which health status of beneficiaries was improved. This project actually addressed the urgent needs of HIV-positive mothers and their children in practical, sustainable and effective ways through appropriate trainings and support which has helped groups of HIV-positive mothers started their own small businesses, giving them both economic independence and the ability to provide support for their children. Such support has created a safe and supportive environment for mothers to deal with the deaths of their children and encourage these mothers to assume responsibility over their families, as well as to integrate themselves into their community. Monitoring and Evaluation: Since from planning, implementation and now evaluation both monitoring and evaluation was carried out in a participatory manner involving all the stakeholders. Monitoring and evaluation did not only involve the beneficiaries, but it put them at the centre of the monitoring and evaluation processes.

Results/Outputs/Impacts

Environmental outputs and results. A total of 197 community members living with HIV/AIDS trained on tree nursery establishment. (Youths 53, Women 91 and men 53) and 03 community nurseries were put in place with 8000 tree seedlings in all the nurseries. These results are fostering conservation practices in communities in long term. A total 8000 tree seedlings planted in 25 hectares of watershed area, secret forest, farms, apiaries and private fuel plantation planted with trees from the nurseries. Reduction of erosion, increase vegetation cover, providing bee forage bees and reducing biodiversity degradation and fight against climate change. Reduction of deforestation as a results of wood lots established. Socio-economic results and outputs. A total 107 Beneficiaries (people living with HIV/AIDS) (51 men, 24 youths and 33 women), knowledge improved on bee keeping, they produced 107 bee hives from the knowledge gained and were supported with 200 modern bee hives by the project. A total of 307 bee hives installed within the community which produced a total of 800 litres of honey within the first year of the project part of the honey used for food, medicine etc, and part sold to the market for income. A total of 671 community members living with HIV/AIDS trained on home gardening (417 women, 77 men and 177 youths) A total of 671 beneficiaries own private vegetable gardens in their back yards and along streams, vegetables produced were sold to people at home and in local markets to generate income and part consumed in different households. Health, income and nutrition situation improved. Garden products available for consumption and for sale in both raining and dry season, increased household income and reduction of stigmatisation on beneficiaries due to improved financial ability by beneficiaries who have change from dependency to independent. Longer term results to which practice contributed; Increased the purchasing power of the target beneficiaries through knowledge acquisition on gardening and bee keeping which has lead to the sales of vegetable crops and honey and its by-products.(bee wax). Jobs created for both youths, women and men in the target communities, some of them are involve in production and marketing of garden crops and honey in bulk, some buying in bulk and retailing in big towns while others are involved in retails at local level. This has greatly influence the reduction of rural urban exodus and has created jobs both at local and urban level. Reduced land conflicts from boundary tree planted, availability of fuel wood in small fuel plantations created and reduction of money spent to buy fuel wood. Some trees raised within the project were planted as boundary demarcation which has help to reduce land encroachment and conflicts. Improvement of beneficiaries social habits on hygiene, nutrition, sanitation and handling of Drugs which has reduced common ailment and child mortality rate as beneficiaries knows when and how to give drugs to children and to take their own drugs with the necessary hygienic conditions. Reduction of widowed HIV-positive mothers participating in commercial sex, often as a last resort as the only source of income available to them and children.

Enabling factors and constraints

Amongst the 15 groups selected majority of them are women with children. Some of the women are single parent including mother of children without father. The project laid emphases in empowering these women economically since they are the backbone of the different household economy. Gardening did not only provide income through selling of vegetables but also gave neighbours the opportunities to buy fresh vegetables from the beneficiaries. This project had addressed the urgent needs of HIV-positive mothers and their children in practical, sustainable and effective ways by providing them with vegetables and honey for consumption and for income through sales. The project had provided appropriate training and support to enable groups of HIV-positive mothers to come together to start their own small businesses, giving them both economic independence and the ability to provide support for their children. In addition, the members of these groups were encouraged to supporting each other within the community. Such support created a safe and supportive environment for mothers to deal with the deaths of their children and encourage these mothers to assume responsibility over their families, as well as to integrate themselves into their community. innovative practices. Compost manure making trainings was provided to beneficiaries as a solution to the difficulties faced by beneficiaries to acquire chemical fertilizers for their gardens. Use of organic fertilizers for garden crops (compost manure or fowl droppings). Buyers of vegetable appreciated the farmers for using mostly organic manure especially for huckle berries, they said the perishability of hulkle berries was low as to those with chemical fertilizers. Exchange visits; There were lots of experience sharing during the exchange visit organized; women from Ndop learnt how they can establish a sustainable vegetable business from the Babanki Tungo and Tanka village women in Mezam Division. Most women were able to pay back their loans to their various social meeting groups they loaned money to purchase drugs and garden seed materials through sales of their garden and bee products.

Sustainability and replicability

Sustainability; The sustainability of this proposed project was considered from three angles: 1. Perpetuation of initiated activities: The proposed project has laid emphasis on organizing and building the capacities of the beneficiary communities (notably the groups). This has ensured that these groups continue to lead the initiative and to initiate and carry out other activities even when the project phased out. FAP NGO Cameroon, NAFI and the Health Services are all Ngoketunjia based organisations to give them technical support. 2. Recurrent costs: It is understood that some recurrent costs will emerge and will need to be covered after the project funding have been exhausted. Income from the different income generation activities will cover the recurrent cost. 3. Persistence of outcomes: The participatory approach will ensure that the beneficiaries appropriate project activities and outcomes right from the onset. This shall ensure that they continue to maintain the project outcome long after the project has phased out. Replication and Up-scaling. Though the project zone is Ngoketunjia division and precisely 3 villages in Ndop Central subdivision, (Bamessing, Bamali and Bamunka villages), the project was in its pilot phase with the intention to replicate in other villages within the North West Region of Cameroon where the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is high. The best practices in the improvement of living conditions of people living with HIV/AIDS in three villages of the Ndop could be copied by some NGOs, CBOs and government departments to other parts of the country (replicating and scaling). FAP NGO team intern to replicate the project in other areas of Cameroon since it was Socially accepted by communities, simple, reliable, Economic feasibility, Supported by donors/financiers for initial investment and Dissemination of information/trainings.

Conclusions

Conclusion; In all the three village communities 80% of the target beneficiaries were actively involved in the project planned activities, this shows the enthusiasm and the need for the project. Bee farmers were practicing traditional bee keeping and with the project they were able to improve this activities. All the groups were happy for the initiative and will ensure that they practice what they learnt to continues to continue to ripe the benefits from the initiative. The participation in the implementation of this project is a clear indication that this project needs replication to increase the scope of beneficiaries. More communities’ needs sensitization to help propagate the message for the fight against HIV/AIDS for this will clear all doubts on ways of transmission and methods of prevention. Based on the performance of the beneficiary groups, in the pre and posttests, it is expected that the knowledge gained by the women will be effectively communicated further into the communities. These groups are very active. They have members who really helped others in understanding the training through testimonies and examples. These groups will have to continue replicating the training in their community and surrounding communities through sensitization meetings.

Other sources of information

https://fap-cameroon.page.tl/FAP-GEF-SGP-UNDP.htm

SDGS & Targets