Learning how to make group orders for potato seeds
In Niger, seed potatoes must be imported from Europe each year. With the support of the project "Capitalization", FCMC-Niya, a federation of horticultural cooperatives, had its first experience making a group (bulk) order for potato seeds for all its members. This operation was made with a commercial letter of credit (a “Crédoc” in French), a payment guarantee provided by the buyer's bank to the supplier's bank. The adoption of these commercial techniques by the federation demonstrates that together farmers are able to order directly from the international market.
The Capitalisation website provides fact sheets like this: "Commandes groupées d'intrants : expériences d'organisations professionnelles agricoles". One of these fact sheets is the story of the bulk order of seed potatoes, as experienced by the Fédération des Coopératives Maraîchères du Niger (FCMN-Niya).
The promotion of gender sensitive practices for inventory credit
The project "Capitalization" highlights the good practices that contribute to making inventory credit equally accessible to all women and men, especially the most vulnerable. Fact sheets on experiences are produced in a participatory manner with the organizations involved (farmer organizations, decentralized financial institutions, and advisory services). In two situations where inventory credit is practiced in Burkina Faso and Niger, the project conducted an analysis of the factors which hinder access or prevent continuing access to inventory credit by the poorest women and men. The best solutions to avoid these inequities will be promoted and integrated into the training manuals.
The "Gender and Warrantage" section of the Capitalisation website provides: i) a model for introducing warrantage (warehouse receipts), systematically taking into account men and women, ii) a tool to question men and women at different stages of a a warrantage campaign: see http://www.capitalisation-bp.net/spip.php?article36.
monstrations of micro-gardens are organized under the project "Hortivar". A micro-garden is a small garden for the cultivation of a wide range of food plants in a small space with little water. Thanks to this, a family has every day, for every meal, fresh vegetables with high nutritional value to meet the need for vitamins, essential minerals and proteins. Women and men can diversify the food supply of the family and generate income by selling the surplus. The investment required is very small and micro-gardens can be built using local materials. The work required is minimal and does not overburden women. School children, including those of the "upgrading schools" in Niger, play while building their micro-gardens, and benefit from it as they take home their produce (mint, tomatoes, onions, etc).
The Dimitra project collaborates with several partner organizations that have established community listeners' clubs sensitive to gender (in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Niger). An innovative initiative, these clubs are spaces for expression and consultation amongst women and men who, in collaboration with community radios and other local stakeholders, connect the rural population and create networks. By sharing knowledge, requesting information, and conducting civic actions, these clubs contribute to local development and food security. These clubs help build women's self confidence, improve their status within the community, and are tools for sharing knowledge on agriculture. The use of solar crank radios, coupled with solar-rechargeable mobile phones, promotes networking among members of the community listening clubs and literacy centers.
