This is La Guilde's site dedicated to solidarity projects. Make a donation to The Guild
This is La Guilde's site dedicated to solidarity projects. Make a donation to The Guild
Zambia is a predominantly rural country, with 611 per 1,000 households engaged in agricultural activities (livestock and poultry farming, fish farming, beekeeping, and crop production). The farms are mostly small and dependent on rainfall: only 301 per 1,000 irrigable agricultural land is actually irrigated. Water and heat stresses linked to climate change are factors that weaken this agricultural sector.
With 301,000 hectares of its total area designated as protected, the country still harbors rich biodiversity, with typical flora and fauna. Kafue National Park, the largest park in Zambia, is the source of numerous conflicts with local communities: poaching, agricultural encroachment, livestock grazing in protected areas, and bushfires all contribute to the communities' attempts to reclaim resources. Human-wildlife conflicts are developing on the park's periphery: wild animals migrate from the park to areas of maize cultivation and livestock grazing. Furthermore, the traditional transhumance practiced by the Ila culture, which utilized the forage resources of the Kafue plains, is declining in favor of more individual and sedentary herding practices. Without common regulations, overgrazing, bushfires, and deforestation contribute to soil erosion and degradation.
Since 2016, Melindika has been implementing a Community Veterinary Project that addresses the pressing need for reconciliation among disadvantaged rural populations and the necessity of protecting the local flora and fauna of Kafue National Park. This project establishes and develops veterinary services in rural communities within the Musungwa chiefdom, with a network of community animal health workers, vaccination campaigns, animal health training for herders and assistants, and animal health research programs.
Ce projet fait suite à une première phase financée en 2022 dont voici la présentation : Mise en place d’un centre de soutien à l’élevage agro-pastoral en bordure du Parc National de Kafue
To contribute to the preservation of the agro-ecosystem (human-environment-animal) of the Musungwa chiefdom through the promotion of sustainable livestock systems that are profitable for herders and respectful of the resources of Kafue National Park
Supporting the emergence of technical and social initiatives in the management of pastoral resources at the level of 8 localities in the Musungwa chiefdom
Support for the establishment of 8 committees responsible for community grazing management: support for the Musungwa traditional authorities and communities, and creation of a collective account for each committee
Support for defining common rules and practices for managing pastoral resources: workshops with committees to define the desired outcomes and rules to be implemented to improve the management of and access to pastoral resources; validation and dissemination of charters to Musungwa authorities and communities through public meetings and posters.
Supporting rural communities and committees in the planning and management of pastoral areas through technical and scientific assistance to committees in the design of resource management plans and the implementation of collective charter rules.
Strengthening the organizational and financial capacities of 8 committees: training and monitoring of pastoral committee members, strengthening recognition and collaboration with local authorities, strengthening the penalty management system, and supporting the definition and selection of 8 eligible infrastructure projects.
350 livestock farmers practice animal husbandry in 8 villages within the Musungwa chiefdom, of whom 801 are cattle herders and 201 are goat, pig, and poultry herders. 701 of the herders are from the Ila ethnic group and 301 are from the Tonga ethnic group.
Through its Microprojects division, the La Guilde association, in partnership with the French Development Agency, supports the implementation of microprojects in the service of sustainable development internationally.