Our Agriculture Program and Projects
Agriculture & Food Security Program is one of its priority engagement programs on which Haben Tigray focuses its efforts. Activities include direct assistance of basic sustenance needs and longer-term projects that help the production and distribution of food items. These would encompass all efforts towards supporting the people of Tigray to stay food-secured through the provision of financial, material and professional support.
We focus on short-term operations, mid-term projects and long-term programs to alleviate immediate and chronic famine and food shortage. Short term interventions in purchasing food items and distributing to those who are in immediate need will continue as long as the need is not met. The longer-term projects will involve collaboration with other charitable, educational or government agencies which have better access to researches, are well established and experienced in the subject matter. Alongside all concerned entities and stakeholders, Haben Tigray will extend to realize practical project activities, mainly focusing on agricultural innovation with main focus on productivity and sustainability.
The following are some of the projects considered for implementation under the Agricultural program:
Aquaponics/ Hydroponics
Greenhouse farming
Mushroom farming
Agricultural Technology
Modern Farming Practices
Featured Projects
Green Tunaydbah Foundation Project
Overview
Since the war that broke out in Tigray in November 2020, it has caused many people to be displaced and seek refuge in eastern Sudan, with as many as 70,000 refugees in various camps in Sudan. There are more than 22,000 refugees in the Tunaydbah refugee camp who are living under dire conditions with limited food-aid and income to support their livelihood.
This Green Tunaydbah Foundation (GTF) project includes small-scale farming solutions for refugees near their shelters to enable them to produce food for their households and gain some income while creating employment opportunities and a sense of hope for other refugees. This project also creates the environment in which small-scale research and pilot farming exercises can be conducted to determine feasibility as potential solutions to the wider food-insecurity crisis in Tigray.
Background
According to the UNHCR’s report dated October 31, 2022, there are 22,253 individuals and 9,545 households registered in the Tunaydbah refugee camp. The population comprises 36% children, 25% women and 39% men. The number of individuals with no occupation data or verified to have no occupation is 17,617 which amounts to 79% of the total population.
Recent information from refugees indicates that food aid provided by the World Food Program (WFP) which was already inadequate has been reduced further by 50% starting from August 2022. The resulting food-insecurity, lack of basic needs and income to support themselves and their families is driving the refugee population to resort to practices which expose them to endanger their health and safety. There is increased level of prostitution, the use of child labor and dangerous migration to Libya in search for a better life. The recent flooding of the camp only adds to the misery of the refugees.
Projects aimed at creating additional sources of food and income through resources available to the refugees is one way to counter this dire situation.
Project Objectives and Plan
The following are the main objectives of this project.
Support local solutions to help refugees become food-secure and generate additional income by providing financial, material and technical aid to organized efforts. The initiative by the Green Tunaydbah Foundation is selected as the agriculture project of choice.
Mobilize agricultural experts to identify alternative food sources, research potential use in the effort to ensure food-security of the Tigrayan population, study innovative means of food production, preservation and storage and recommend plans of action.
Utilize Haben Tigray’s Education Program to provide theoretical and practical courses on agriculture for refugees in the Tunaydbah camp.
Utilize the agriculture project to integrate the Education and Agriculture Programs by conducting pilots on alternative means of food production.
The major focus of the project is providing financial, material and technical support to GTF. The project also includes multiple activities to be completed in collaboration with other organizations which will be integrated with the project. This helps to maximize its impact and also build a foundation for future agricultural projects in refugee camps or inside Tigray.
Financial and Material Support
The project mainly supports GTF with its small-scale farming initiative in the Tunaydbah refugee camp in Sudan using the plots of land near the refugee shelters. Wasted water from taps that would otherwise stagnate near residential areas, create health hazards and an unsanitary environment will be channeled to the plots.
Agricultural Courses
Provide theoretical and practical courses on agriculture for refugees in the Tunaydbah camp through coordination with Haben Tigray’s Education Program.
Research
Form a team of researchers including agricultural and nutritional experts to study the production, preservation and storage of conventional and alternative food sources, aimed at providing recommendations to achieve food-security of Tigray’s population.
Project Details
Water that spills from taps near refugee shelter areas has resulted in stagnant water near residential areas which has become a health risk by becoming breeding ground for mosquitoes and cause for waterborne diseases. When this wasted water is channeled to plots of land near shelters, it has shown significant benefits, as demonstrated by Green Tenedba Foundation (GTF’s) initiative.
Members of GTF mobilized the community to enable the use of wasted water from taps located in Blocks G1, G2 and I2 of the camp to grow vegetables on small plots of land near the houses. In addition to sustaining food supplies to families, this practice has been a source of additional income for several residents. It has also resulted in reduced health risks for the society. GTF has also helped 170 residents in Blocks C, E and I to start similar work. Haben Tigray and GTF plan to make the project even more successful by through better organization and professional support.
The project will solve exiting problems by employees the following as solutions.
Strengthen project to ensure that the flow of water is sufficiently and fully utilized.
Sponsor resident farmers and supply them with the required tools.
Find water supply solutions for those residents who do not have adequate water or provide plants that can grow with minimal water.
Work with the agricultural professionals within GTF members who can consult resident farmers on types of plants which grow faster for use as a food source and can be sold for extra income.
Establish a center to study and prepare seedlings by working with supporting organizations.
Utilize the manpower and human capital at the refugee camp by engaging them in the weaving of fencing for the plots, applying pesticides to the farms, sowing seeds, etc. which will foster financial independence and entrepreneurship.
Project Phases
Phase 1 of the project aims at maintaining the current project which supports 184 households which are already farming near their houses through support by GTF. Phase 2 will expand the project to cultivate plots of land near 56 more refugee houses by adding them as new participants. A future third phase will be considered to reach other refugees living in the camp.
