Although more than half of Haiti’s population works in the agriculture sector, there has historically not been systematic support for farmers, neither through production practices nor through market interventions. The Haiti Feed the Future Watershed Initiative for National Natural Environmental Resources (WINNER) confronted these challenges by focusing simultaneously on agriculture production, watershed stability, and post-harvest practices.…
Nancy Zlotsky joined Chemonics in 1988 and has more than 25 years of experience supporting agriculture and other economic growth efforts around the world, especially in Africa. Over 10 years, she served as senior vice president for the Project Development and Support Division, Africa Region, and Strategic Programs. Nancy was based for another five years…
Given Uganda’s favorable weather conditions and wealth of arable land, Uganda’s agriculture sector has enormous potential, but its crop yields remain low. To harness the country’s agricultural potential, the Feed the Future Uganda Enabling Environment for Agriculture Activity is identifying and addressing constraints on agricultural development. By working with public and private actors to create…
Although the agriculture sector employs more than half of Haiti’s population and offers one of the only ways for people in rural communities to support themselves, the sector struggles to achieve consistently higher yields and sales. “Feed the Future Haiti Chanje Lavi Plantè,” which means “Changing Lives” in Haitian Creole, confronted this issue by increasing…
By 2030, global food producers will need to feed an estimated 8.3 billion people, reflecting an increase of about 1 billion from the world’s population in 2015. Nearly one-third of the world’s current population, or approximately 2.5 billion people, depend on agriculture for their livelihood. However, increasingly frequent severe weather events caused by climate change…
The landmark 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) Paris Agreement recognized the need for a multi-pronged approach to reach the ambitious development goals set by 195 countries, 34 of which are in Asia. With one-third of the world’s total population, Asia is increasingly vulnerable to climate change due to its low-lying, heavily populated coastlines and dependency…
Between June 26, 2010, and December 17, 2016, Chemonics International implemented the Southern African Regional Environmental Program (SAREP) and provided technical support to the Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission to enable it to meet elements of the objectives in its strategic action plan (SAP), while responding to other related needs in areas adjacent to…
Feed the Future West/WINNER combined elements of both an agricultural program and an environmental conservation program in Haiti. How did the project balance both goals? Conservation and agricultural development are very closely connected. Our project began as a large watershed program and then its mandate expanded when the 2010 earthquake happened eight months in. It…
Youth engagement in agriculture is an important component of many agricultural development programs. Why is it so important to reach youth? Firstly, the current population that’s engaged in agriculture in Uganda has an average age of around 65 years old. As that population stops farming in the next five to 10 years, who will feed…
Patrick Rader served as chief of party of the Feed the Future Uganda Commodity Production and Marketing Activity (CPM), which harnesses market forces and uses innovative methods to increase the productivity of Ugandan families. CPM reduces poverty and under-nutrition by increasing the quantity and quality of coffee, maize, and beans that rural families are able…