CPL Aromas in collaboration with CAFOD makes a move to eradicate poverty and help the economically backward families to deal with poverty and climate change, and help them live a better life
The 17th October 2019 is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. In a world with an unprecedented level of economic development, technological capability and financial resource, it is a disaster that millions of people around the world are still living in extreme poverty. Poverty is not solely an economic issue, but a complex problem involving both a lack of income and the basic capabilities to live with dignity.
Climate change can hit the poorest people the hardest – those living in vulnerable areas with the fewest resources to help them adapt or recover quickly from shocks. As the effects of climate change worsen, escaping poverty becomes more and more difficult.
CPL Aromas work with CAFOD to support 13 communities (around 265 families) in the Jinotega municipality of Nicaragua, a region highly vulnerable to natural disasters and climate change.
These communities live in a zone called ‘the dry corridor’ which experiences poor rainfall and long dry periods. Most families make their living as farmers and the main challenges faced by communities living there relate to food shortages, drought, landslides and flooding, meaning that staple crops are difficult to grow, and employment is scarce.
With this project, CPL is supporting communities to be better equipped to cope with the environmental challenges of the region and have the tools and knowledge they need to create a secure way to make a living. The key objective of the project is to help families to improve resilience and reduce their vulnerability to climate change.
In the last 6 months
Learning workshops have been held to bring communities together and share sustainable farming practices including how to prepare the soil, fertilizers, potential crop diseases and pests, and how to preserve the land for the development of the plant
Support has been given to share knowledge about the management of sustainable seed banks & new seed banks for Jinotega and San Rafael del Norte municipalities were set up, helping to increase the food reserves of families in the most vulnerable time for food security
Implementation of a production record tool in order to highlight the importance for the farmers to keep records, so they use the tool to keep evidence of the supplies, labour and overheads in production and development of the crop
Over 6 hectares given to planting of resilient crops that can help diversify the existing agriculture for communities in the dry corridor, allowing the farmers to use planting areas where no crop has been established
Training on water collection and harvesting techniques (reservoir systems) was also completed with the participation of over 20 producers
Working with families engaged in the project to monitor rainfall through various climate stations which record climate variation across 10 communities – information collected helps farmers to know when to sow and avoid loss of first and last crop
What’s Next?
In the coming months, work will continue to keep reaching and supporting families so they can achieve a secure livelihood. Our partner will continue to provide them with training on agricultural practices and tools to diversify their agriculture production to improve their own nutrition and grow crops more resilient to climate change. The families will also learn about commercial opportunities and access to markets to sell their crops and find partnerships to create a sustainable source of income.
