Community-Based Approaches and Localized Solutions
Local and national actors are often the first responders at the heart of various humanitarian crises. They possess a valuable understanding of local challenges, potential solutions and the ability to mobilize local networks and offer greater access to affected populations. As such, local actors play a pivotal role in bolstering a more predictable and sustainable humanitarian response system, with enhanced accountability to affected populations.
economic empowerment for improved food security
The Rome-based Agencies Resilience Initiative is in line with FAO's approach to localization, promoting a shift in focus with community-based organizations at the centre, to enhance their active leadership, decision-making, and partnership roles while acting as frontline actors in designing, managing, and coordinating emergency and resilience activities, according to local needs and priorities.
In the Dosso and Maradi regions of the Niger, Men and women gather for Dimitra club meetings to address community challenges and discuss solutions. ©FAO
The project 'Accelerating Progress towards the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women' was implemented using integrated approaches and community-based platforms – particularly Farmer Field Schools (FFS), Dimitra Clubs and local radio stations – which facilitate the empowerment and capacity building of rural women in vulnerable situations, as well as their access to and control of productive resources. These platforms were used to facilitate diversified food production, storage, trade and consumption, including through community food and nutrition education sessions and knowledge sharing, community cooking demonstrations, local food processing training, the provision of diverse productive assets and labour-saving technologies, as well as food sales to school canteens. Tailored support to women’s groups, including in terms of income, knowledge and practices, was a strong focus throughout.
At the end of the project, the monetary value of the cereal stock mobilized by women beneficiaries was estimated at CFA Francs 44 170 000 (USD 76 155). The average household dietary diversity score for all municipalities targeted in the project increased from 3.49 to 4.84 percent – very close to the programme target of 5, and the level of knowledge of beneficiaries on the causes and means of prevention of malnutrition increased significantly, from 59 percent to 87 percent. The project was implemented in seven countries, namely Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Nepal, the Niger and Rwanda.
The Ruzizi River in South Kivu, which separates DRC from Rwanda on the other side during the wet season in 2023. ©FAO
A herder in the Niger tending his cattle ©FAO/
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite abundant natural resources, 13.1 million people are severely food insecure –15.5 percent of the rural population (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification 2018). Almost 5 million children under five are acutely malnourished, 2.2 million severely. Conflict and intercommunal violence have made DRC the single African country most affected by population displacement.
Women and girls have been disproportionately affected by the conflict, facing heightened economic hardship, food insecurity, and gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse.
Joint field, common interest, mutual benefits
The innovative joint FAO–WFP programme, implemented in collaboration with the local government, financial partners, and other stakeholders—including international NGOs, traders, and farmers—strengthened the capacity of smallholder farmers and their organizations to increase both the quantity and quality of their commodity production. The programme also enhanced their ability to market and sell their produce at competitive prices.
Key learning and good practices
- Coordination mechanisms: Creating a coordination mechanism for information exchange among the four United Nations agencies and implementing partners (local non-governmental organizations), allowed local partners to develop a greater sense of programme ownership, enhancing local take-up.
- Engaging men: Building and maintaining recognition of women’s contribution to nutrition cannot be sustainable without support from the household and community in which women live. When the Dimitra Clubs were used as an entry point at village level, the programme beneficiaries were two-thirds women and one-third men, resulting in access to information and training, decision-making, and thematic discussions on law and gender equality becoming shared resources.
- Community engagement: Strengthening the engagement of community and administrative leaders helped to reinforce improved food and nutrition behaviour at community level.
- Community mobilization and collective action: Community outreach activities can bring parties in conflict around a shared interest or passion, overriding differences, prejudices and tensions between ethnic groups.