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Sustainable
Livelihoods
This
programme aims to address the issue of poverty by promoting sustainable
livelihood practices that reduce dependence on the forest and
forest clearing. It is important that livelihoods promoted do
not contradict the core values and goals of DIN. Small scale
agriculture is a key component of the sustainable livelihoods
programme along with agroforestry.
Sustainable
livelihood projects that DIN supports include:
Sustainable
agriculture
DIN
started work in 2004 with local communities in Boki LGA to develop
improved,
sustainable farming practices, and to increase productivity, profitability
and sustainability of existing farmland, as a means of reducing
pressure on and reduce encroachment into the primary forests boarding
the community farmland.
The
farmer capacity development is through a Farmer Field School (FFS)
approach developed by The Sustainable Tree Crops Programme (STCP).
The FFS is a proven discovery learning approach which brings a
group of farmers together to learn experiment approaches, observe
the outcomes and decide on which options to adopt. Techniques
and approaches include sanitation and pruning, integrated crop
and pest management (ICPM), promotion of sustainable agroforest
mixes, rational pesticide use and improved post harvest practices.
There
are three areas that DIN is focusing under the sustainble agriculture
livelihood development. These include:
- Improved
Cocoa farming practices
- Improved
yielding varieties of Cassava
- Sustainable
exploitation and propagation methods of NTFP
DIN
works in collaboration with the Agricultural Development Programme
(ADP) in the implementation of the sustainable agriculture programmes.
DIN
will be replicating these approaches in more communities in Boki
and Akampka LGAs in 2006.
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Livestock
rearing and fattening
DIN
supports livestock rearing and fattening programmes with womens'
groups, particularly goat, sheep and poultry. Those currently
engaged in projects have demonstrated that there is real potential
for income generation, and it is DIN's aim to replicate these
as much as possible across villages where there is an identified
need.
Women
in Okpazange have shown great interest and are keeping goats
using a semi-intensive system of tethering. The group has been
able to start a small loan scheme for groups members and other
community members from proceeds of the sale fo goats. 
Other
groups which have benefited from livestock support are Bebi's
women's group, Bakum women's group and Victory finance group in
Abo Ogbagante.
The
Fulani women's group at Kundeve now have twenty-one sheep. DIN
assisted this group with the construction of a secure pen to avoid
problems with theft that have plagued previous livestock rearing
attempts. The group have donated three of their sheep's offspring
to another group of Fulani women help empower them. This very
generous decision was made solely by the Kundeve women's group.
The
Poultry Womens' Group (Oker Ekow) have continued to raise day
old broiler chickens for sale at 8 weeks of age. Prospects
for real profits have been raised by the establishment of the
Protea Hotel Ranch Resort as a major cash paying customer, reducing
the pressure to sell on credit when broilers were mature.
Training in basic animal health is provided to all groups by DIN
staff to assist with the effective care of the livestock.
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Beekeeping
and honey production
DIN
has encouraged honey production using modern bee-keeping technologies.
Traditional honey collection involves hunting for hives in the
forest often felling trees to reach the hive. Fire is also
normally used to kill bees to enable collection of the honey.
This destructive system is also very wasteful and inefficient,
as only after the bees had been killed could the hunter determine
if there was any honeycomb in the hive. The introduction
of modern methods of using frame and pot hives to domesticate
bees has been widely accepted by many local bee farmers.
It
has proven particularly successful on the Plateau's northern slopes
and plains, where higher temperatures allow significantly improve
colonization of bee hives. DIN has provided equipment such
as pot and frame bee hives, bee smokers and bee suits as well
as training to bee-farmers.
Local
training capacity has also been developed with the training of
3 local farmers as trainers. DIN has recently used these
local trainers for new bee-farmer training.
Honey
sells for approximately N600 per litre at local
markets. This indicates that there is real potential for
income from beekeeping activities.
DIN
has also facilitated training in bee hive construction with local
carpenters, and in the processing of bees wax (into candles) and
propolis (commonly used for medicinal purposes and beauty products).
Further efforts are now required to develop secondary processing
facilities and investigate the potential for improved product
packaging and presentation.
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Market
gardening
Vegetable
production and market gardening are important for food production
and security, particularly through the dry season (Nov-March).
These have been established by women's groups in Boje, Bashu,
Biajua, Abo Ogbagante, Opu and Balep. Market gardens have demonstrated
that vegetables can be grown repeatedly a plot of land with little
or no input. Due to the success community members, youths and
women have been replicating these in their backyards during the
dry season.
Agroforestry practises are also encouraged to promote soil conservation,
combat erosion and maintain soil productivity. DIN also
conducts workshops on composting, organic pesticide preparation
and encourages the collection of manures from goat and poultry
houses for use on vegetable gardens.
Some of the women's groups are able to make a profit from the
gardens through selling their produce at the local market. Therefore,
contributing to their financial security as well as their food
security.
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Skills
training and micro-business development
DIN's
skills training and micro-business workshops have targeted women
and youth.
Examples
of skills workshops include:
-
food
processing; frying of puff-puff (a local pastry)
-
soap
making / pomade making
-
wax
processing and candle making
-
production
of organic pesticides and manures
-
group
management
-
financial
managment and record keeping
Two
business development workshops have been conducted using external
business consultants. The first from Volunteer Services
Overseas (VSO Nigeria) and the second from Winrock International.
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