Caritas Djibouti Using Trainings in Permaculture Approach to Empower Farmers, Fight Hunger

They say, “Caritas Djibouti is supporting Caritas MONA’s ‘Together, we fight hunger’ project and has successfully trained 10 village communities in permaculture in Djibouti City and the surrounding agricultural areas inhabited by vulnerable communities, who received training in practical farming skills.”

“It also raised awareness on drought issues among people of influence in the region and promoted ways to work together to find sustainable solutions to local problems,” CI officials say in the October 14 report. 

In order to keep farmers abreast on permaculture approach, CI officials say Caritas Djibouti organized a two-day training that brought together “male and female farmers from various parts of the country including: Djibouti-ville, Douda, Dikhil, Bankoualé, Douloul, Kalaf, Damerjog, Ambouli, Dorra or Agna Hanlé.”

Though the training session focused on the awareness-raising aspect, CI officials “encouraged local farmers to take ownership of improving their work through permaculture, making the techniques and knowledge one’s own, and having pride and confidence to implement and share them with others.”

“Some of the participants expressed the wish to create a network, even if informal, between farmers and breeders with the objective of helping and encouraging each other, to share good practices, and to enrich each other’s thinking and practice,” they add.

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In the October 14 report, CI officials say, “Caritas Djibouti also carries out projects for building wells and underground water tanks in desert areas targeting drought-affected communities.”

“It organizes awareness sessions on the proper management of water resources to avoid waste or contamination,” they add.

CI officials note that “these projects aim to help farmers to gain access to their lands and to empower them to produce chemical free products by utilizing natural resources and adopting agricultural techniques in the spirit of integral ecology as outlined by Pope Francis in Laudato Si.” 

“The impact of such projects implemented with and for vulnerable communities is manifest, with farmers enabled to produce and sell chemical free products, especially fruits and vegetables,” officials of the entity that shares the Catholic Church mission to serve the poor and to promote charity and justice across the globe further say.

This story was first published by ACI Africa on 17 October 2022.