Integrated Climate-Smart Refugee Project

After fleeing the violence of their homeland, South Sudanese refugee families, along with their host communities in the Palabek Refugee Settlement of Lamwo District in northern Uganda, face ongoing food security challenges amid Covid-19. 

Moving away from traditional food aid distribution, Send a Cow (SAC) delivers a development-focused program model to smallholder refugee and host community farmers living in Palabek, integrating climate-smart technology with gender-inclusive agriculture and enterprise trainings. 

Building on its 24-month phase one project in Palabek, SAC will expand its development programs using climate-smart technology to 600 households (3,000 people), resulting in improved crop yields, diverse nutrition and income sources, and low-carbon, environmentally friendly energy use.

SAC has transformed the lives of two million people in Africa and aims to utilize its model to impact 10 million people by 2030.  If scaled globally, SAC’s approach can impact an estimated 475 million smallholder farmers.

Since 2013, more than 2.3 million South Sudanese—mostly women and children—have fled their homeland with nearly half crossing the border to Uganda.  These families, along with their host communities in the Palabek Refugee Settlement of Lamwo District in northern Uganda, face ongoing food security challenges, and now most adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ninety-eight percent of host community households and 100 percent of refugees earn less than $2 per day.  Only 16 percent of families consume more than five food types a day, and only 13 percent experience less than three hunger months per year.

Despite Uganda’s “self-reliance” model that provides refugees with plots of land in rural settlements, refugees still face limited livelihood opportunities and scarce food distribution and lack the sustainable farming skills, agricultural inputs, and gender inclusive training that will enable them to maximize the production of their land, improve nutrition, and create long-term self-sufficiency.

Complications from climate change and environmental degradation reinforce the need for refugee and host communities to receive training in climate-smart agriculture technologies, land management, and energy conservation.

Lastly, Covid-19 magnifies existing poverty issues for vulnerable families and restricts access to farmland and markets.  

SAC’s integrated program model addresses the underlying issues that impact long-term food insecurity for South Sudanese refugee and host community families in Palabek Refugee Settlement.  While the solution is low-tech, it is extremely effective: utilize a holistic and development-oriented business model that focuses on improving the overall self-sufficiency of farming families through the use of climate-smart technologies and ongoing support of Self Help Groups (SHGs). 

SAC’s integrated model provides training in farming systems, enterprise development, resource development and conservation, and gender and social inclusion, with ongoing training bolstered by community leaders.  This moves away from the food aid distribution approach to refugee food security and focuses on building the capacity, resources, self-esteem, and social linkages needed for the communities served to be self-sustaining after the project’s completion. Working with refugees alongside host communities will forge community links, facilitating mutually beneficial skills and knowledge transfer. 

The use of climate-smart technologies—soil and water conversation techniques, community watershed planning, integrated soil fertility management practices, climate-smart vegetable production, and use of agroforestry practices—will maximize the development of the land and increase productivity to help refugees achieve economic self-sufficiency. 

Palabek Ogili Refugee settlement of Lamwo District in northern Uganda hosts over 43,238 refugees along with 13,785 local Ugandan nationals (host beneficiaries).   A needs assessment of the refugee and host community was completed in August 2018 and helped SAC understand the daily difficulties families face—a lack of knowledge of sustainable, climate-smart, agricultural practices contribute to food insecurity, and the quantity and variety of food aid from relief agencies was insufficient for families, especially children who need a more nutritious diet. Refugees indicated they also suffer from limited livelihood opportunities. Income generating activities are restricted by climate change, unreliable rainfall, degraded environment, lack of agricultural knowledge and inputs—all similar challenges faced by the host community.

In total, 600 households (3,000 people), 300 from host and refugee communities respectively, will be supported by the establishment of 24 SHGs. SHGs are paramount to helping reinforce and attending to specific needs of the community and will develop their own vision and goals with the support of community leaders who provide ongoing training. Those who are most vulnerable and marginalized will be prioritized for SHG membership, including widows, people with disabilities, the elderly, child-headed households, people living with HIV/AIDS, and former abductees.

Send a Cow’s business model for improving food security for South Sudanese refugees in Palabek Refugee Settlement is based on low-cost, low input, and climate-smart technologies that are locally appropriate, with an emphasis on delivering integrated trainings—farming systems, enterprise training, and social and gender inclusion—that are created and supported by the communities they serve.  The result is improved crop yields, diverse nutrition and income sources, and low-carbon, environmentally friendly energy use.  Program participants then share their new skills, knowledge, and resources with their neighbors, ensuring the long-term self-sufficiency and sustainability for the beneficiary populations.   

SAC’s approach to food security utilizes a unique business model to address refugee food insecurity, especially compared to the international community’s traditional approach to providing food aid in refugee camps.

Traditional food aid distribution models are not effective at empowering refugee farmers or creating long-term self-sufficiency, and they are more susceptible to external shocks or disasters, such as Covid-19.

The World Food Program (WFP) distributes monthly food rations through aid organizations that help refugees meet basic dietary requirements, but funding for food aid is also reliant on ongoing support from the donor community.  For example, facing a funding shortfall, WFP cut its food aid to refugees in Uganda by more than 30% earlier this year during the emergence of Covid-19.  Food aid distribution does not create a model that enables self-reliance, income generation, or sustainable livelihoods that empower refugee families with the skills and resources that need to ensure their food security.

SAC’s integrated development-oriented business model and use of climate-smart technologies ensure resiliency to shocks while addressing the underlying issues that impact long-term food insecurity for South Sudanese refugee and host community families in Palabek.  The model focuses on improving the self-sufficiency of farming families by training in farming systems, enterprise development with agricultural supply chains, regenerative agriculture and conservation, and gender and social inclusion, bolstered by SHGs and peer leaders who provide ongoing training from the existing refugee and host communities.  The result is improved crop yields, diverse nutrition and income sources, and low-carbon, environmentally friendly energy use.

SAC’s integrated development-oriented approach to food security focuses on improving the overall self-sufficiency of refugee and host community smallholder farmer families, utilizing climate-smart technologies. 

SAC’s climate-smart technologies and approaches include:

• Soil and water conservation, and community watershed planning that will enable farmers to capture and use groundwater run-off and rainwater for household consumption (cooking, cleaning, drinking) and crops, increasing the length of time their land is productive
• Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) practices, such as mulching and compost-making to increase soil moisture and water retention in soil, reducing crop vulnerability to short dry spells
• Climate-smart vegetable production techniques, such as kitchen gardens that use mulching techniques for moisture retention and soil fertility and are productive outside of the traditional growing seasons increasing farmer resilience to drought and improving household food security
• Agroforestry and tree nursery bed establishment to reduce deforestation and soil erosion and increase soil quality and moisture retention. Planting trees for firewood and fodder also reduces pressure on natural resources and increases soil water-holding capacity, increases infiltration, reduces run-off and erosion, and moderates the surrounding micro-climate.
• Sustainable low-carbon, energy use, including fuel-efficient Lorena stoves  

This project will build on the demonstrated success achieved during the pilot phase of the project. Previously refugees could generate an income when they sacrificed some of their rations to sell. Through training in climate-smart regenerative agriculture and enterprise, and gender and social inclusion, refugees have been able to earn an income from surplus produce and increase their households’ food and nutrition security.

The evaluation of SAC’s Kamuli Sustainable Livelihoods project (2016 – 2018) in Uganda demonstrates how an integrated approach to agriculture and enterprise development generates food security for smallholder farming communities. This project successfully empowered households to diversify farm production, which not only increased family consumption but also provided an income source to purchase complementary food. By the end of the project, 94% of families were consuming more than five food types a day, increasing from 16% at baseline, and 80% of households were experiencing less than three hunger months, compared to 13% at baseline. In terms of household income, 49% of families were earning more than $2 a day, compared to 3% at baseline, and 97% of families were successfully saving through credit and savings groups, increasing from 22% at baseline. Lastly, social cohesion and well-being of the most marginalized improved, with 84% of female family members reporting improved contributions to decision making in the home, increasing from 56% baseline, and 81% of  families reporting that they were confident or very confident in their ability to meet their needs from their farm, increasing from 3% at baseline.

The project will deliver training to 600 households (3,000 people) through 24 SHGs of 25 people, prioritizing the most marginalized from refugee and host communities.  Another 900 households (4,500 people) from communities will be supported through direct community activities.

Output 1: Improved food security and diverse nutrition

Activities: SHG training in farm systems resource planning for optimal production, regenerative climate-smart agriculture (including compost making; kitchen gardening for nutrition; soil and water conservation; integrated pest management); provision of vegetable seeds and cuttings; provision of water for production. Community activities: nutrition outreach days in collaboration with local government nutrition teams; construction of three hand dug wells in host community, supporting 330 households with access to water; training of water user committees.

Results: 75% of households food secure; 50% of families consuming six different food types.

Output 2: Sustainable energy use and environmental management Activities: Training in WASH, sustainable energy use (including fuel-efficient Lorena stoves) and environmental management, including tree planting, agroforestry and building soil fertility. Community activities: Dialogues and training on environmental protection, land use management; and development of community environment and watershed planning.

Results: 70% adopting sustainable energy use; 85% practicing environmental conservation and management.

Output 3: Increased and diversified income sources

Activities: Training in agricultural enterprise, improved animal management, post-harvest handling, and seed bank establishment. Formation of producer groups for bulking, value-addition and collective marketing. Community activities: Training in livestock management, off-farm business skills, support for viable youth agro-enterprise (high value crops); and establishment of Village Savings & Loans Associations (VSLAs).

Results: 80% of households with two income generating activities; 55% earning more than $3 per day.

Output 4: Increased inclusion among vulnerable groups

Activities: Training in gender and social inclusion to improve well-being of marginalized groups. Community activities: Conduct community leaders' sensitization and training on gender, disability and human rights; training on reproductive health and gender-based violence (GBV) related issues at community level, including early pregnancies, and make referrals for medical and support services.

Results: 60% of participants with improved participation in decisions in household; 97% with good self-esteem; 75% of marginalized groups reporting confidence to speak in public.

By the completion of SAC’s project in Palabek it will have increased the food security of more than 7,500 refugees and individuals in the host community.  With over 30,000 South Sudanese refugees in the Palabek Refugee Settlement in Northern Uganda, and many more in the surrounding host population, SAC will have the opportunity to improve and continue to scale its work up within the entire Palabek settlement.

Over the past five years, SAC has impacted the lives of 379,000 to 780,000 per year using its integrated approach to improve food security and reduce the poverty of smallholder farmers. And over the next five years, SAC’s goal is to help 5 million people out of poverty in Africa by 2025. 

The development of this project is from the direct experience of a 24-month phase one program, and phase two of the program will aim to empower 7,500 people from the settlement and host communities. 

Over the coming years, participating refugee and host community farmers will share their new skills, knowledge, and seeds with neighbors, skills which are transferable across the Palabek Refugee Settlement.  SHGs and peer leaders called Community Resource Persons (CRPs) will remain in the area, continuing to support families in implementing the practices. Families will develop long-term nutritional security and self-sufficiency, becoming less reliant on food aid and handouts. SHGs will remain as a peer-support structure for members. With established savings, families will invest in their farms to achieve higher returns and build resilience to future shocks, such as COVID-19. Working with refugees alongside host communities, strong community links will be forged for the long-term benefit for all. SAC works closely with local authorities and will ensure the capacity of local government extension and advisory services will be built, allowing for the replication of the business model after the project is completed.

Over the next ten years, SAC’s goal is to help 10 million people out of poverty in Africa by 2030. Our goal is both ambitious and an appropriate response to the very real concerns about worsening poverty in Africa and a climate crisis that threatens to push 270 million people back into poverty. If scaled globally, SAC’s approach can impact an estimated 475 million smallholder farmers.

• Climate change / drought: Adverse effect on agriculture activities.
• The COVID-19 pandemic is a threat to the world’s most vulnerable, especially refugees who live in crowded camps with poor healthcare and WASH infrastructure. 
• Poor access to local government extension services: The HIV/AIDS epidemic in program districts has restricted available extension services, and skills shortages have meant that posts often remain vacant.
• Embedded beliefs and practices that undermine the rights, dignity, and inclusion of women.

• Climate change could cause adverse effects on farming.  Mitigation: Program trainings will focus on climate-smart technologies and approaches that will ensure the project will be sustainable, replicable, and encourage rejuvenation of natural resources.
• The COVID-19 pandemic is a threat to the world’s most vulnerable, especially refugees who live in crowded camps with poor healthcare and WASH infrastructure.  Restricted access to farmland and markets is reducing income generation, further compounding food insecurity and poverty. Without phase two of this project, target communities are extremely vulnerable to the immediate and longer-term socio-economic effects of COVID-19. SAC is currently continuing to support SHGs and CRPs by maintaining mobile contact and by promoting handwashing, clean water use, and proper sanitation.
• Poor access to local government services are a challenge, with HIV/AIDS epidemic in program districts restricting available extension services, and skills shortages have meant that posts often remain vacant. Mitigation: SAC has developed and manages an established network of Extension Workers, who are from the host and refugee communities, to provide support with livestock, agriculture, social inclusion, and counseling skills.
• Embedded beliefs and practices that undermine the rights, dignity, and inclusion of women. Mitigation: As with all SAC projects, gender and social Inclusion will be a central theme of this project to challenge social norms. Exchange visits to previously supported SAC beneficiaries will showcase the benefits of practicing inclusive, gender-balanced family relationships.

Seven full-time individuals will be involved in the management and delivery of the project, not including community resource persons or SHG members within the Palabek Refugee Settlement.

The project will be managed by Pamela Ebanyat (Send a Cow Uganda Country Director) based in Lusaka and implemented directly by Send a Cow Uganda staff based in Lamwo District. SAC will directly deliver the project through one Social and two Agriculture Extension Workers, and a Finance Officer, under the supervision of a Project Coordinator.  Project management and delivery will be supported by Community Resource Persons, working within each self-help group. The project will be overseen and monitored by Donald Mavunduse, Director of International Operations, who is based in the UK.

SAC’s unique integrated and self-help program—utilizing climate-smart technologies through the provision of farming skills, enterprise development, and gender/social inclusion training—is at the root of our efforts to increase food security and alleviate poverty across six African countries where we work.  And our solutions are African designed, developed with, and for, the communities we support.  Families get back the skills and confidence they need to get the most from their land. Families can grow enough food, earn a living, and pass on what they know.  Success quickly multiplies, from family to family, community to community, generation to generation.

Over the past 31 years, SAC has transforming the lives of two million people in Africa, and with ongoing support we aim to use our successful model to impact 10 million by 2030.

Donors: SAC’s donor partners range from individual supporters, foundations, to corporate and major donors, as well as governmental funders, including USAID and DFID. SAC has built an excellent reputation with donors, including DFID (from which we have been awarded A+ and A++ scores for our work), USAID, Norway, Rwanda, Uganda, Jersey and Isle of Man governments plus other institutions such as National Lottery, EU and FONERWA (Rwanda Green Fund).

Technical: We work with a wide range of local and national organizations (NGOs and research organizations) in Africa, UK, and globally that offer technical expertise outside of SAC’s specialism. These include experts offering innovative solutions to natural resource management, such as International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization, and universities of Reading, Edinburgh and the Global Women’s Institute at the George Washington University who contribute to SAC’s knowledge of social inclusion and address the needs of marginalized people. 

Operational:  We work through SAC’s own local African-led country programs, as well as in partnership with other local organizations that offer in-depth knowledge of, and relationships with the communities we are supporting. 

Institutional:  In all our country programs we work in lockstep with national and local government ministries, particularly the Ministries of Environment, Health and Agriculture, as well as Women’s and Social Affairs. UNHCR-the UN Refugee Agency is the lead international humanitarian agency that manages the aid and development agency response the South Sudanese refugee crisis in northern Uganda.

Send a Cow’s business model for improving food security is based on low-cost, low input, and climate-smart technologies that are locally appropriate, with an emphasis on delivering integrated trainings—farming systems, enterprise training, and social and gender inclusion—that are created and supported by the communities they serve.  The result is improved crop yields, diverse nutrition and income sources, and low-carbon, environmentally friendly energy use.  Program participants then share their new skills, knowledge, and resources with their neighbors, ensuring the long-term self-sufficiency and sustainability for the beneficiary populations.   

In this way, SAC teaches farmers to realize the value of the resources they already have as opposed to delivering a prescriptive approach to agriculture. SAC allows farmers to respond flexibly to their situation and needs, thus making the most of their resources and land while building resilience against climate and economic shocks. 

While pursuing opportunities for funding, SAC would also like to market its solution, grow its reach, and share the value of its work in Africa with the wider international development community and refugee aid organizations.  In addition, Solve members and partners can help to complement or provide guidance or technologies that support or improve the various elements of SAC’s integrated model to alleviate food insecurity and/or address potential challenges for project implementation.  While funding is a priority, SAC welcomes expertise and or partners to provide support for refugee and host community’s response to Covid-19, and that can support beneficiaries with climate-smart technologies that help address climate change, land conservation, or improve energy use.  Moreover, Solve experts can complement SAC’s existing gender and social inclusion programming as we strive to challenge social norms.

• Marketing partners that can help improve SAC's business model, but also help us grow our reach, and share the impact of our approach with the international community.
• Partners that can help complement SAC's low-tech climate-smart technologies with high-tech technologies that help address climate change, land conservation, or improve energy use. 
• Partners that can utilize high-tech or complementary skills to improve SAC’s existing gender and social inclusion programming.
• Partners willing to pursue joint funding opportunities that take advantage of combined expertise and experience to provide support for refugees.
• Health and communication oriented partners that will complement SAC's response to Covid-19 and its impact on the refugee community.

As mentioned above, SAC would like to work with Solve members, such as TruTrade, who are able to complement or provide guidance or technologies that support or improve the various elements of SAC’s integrated model to alleviate food insecurity and/or address potential challenges for project implementation.  SAC welcomes expertise and or partners to provide support for refugee and host community’s response to Covid-19, and that can support beneficiaries with technologies that complement SAC’s climate-smart technologies and help support land conservation, improve energy use, or build resiliency against climate change.  Moreover, Solve member expertise can complement SAC’s existing gender and social inclusion programming as this element of an integrated approach is also critical to improving the sustainability of local food security programs.

SAC’s integrated development-oriented business model using climate-smart technologies qualifies SAC as an ideal candidate for the The Andan Prize for Innovation in Refugee Inclusion by addressing the underlying issues that impact long-term food insecurity for South Sudanese refugee and host community families in Palabek.  The model focuses on improving the resiliency and self-sufficiency of farming families through training in farming systems, enterprise development, climate-smart technologies, and gender and social inclusion, bolstered by ongoing support from SHGs within the refugee community.  The result is improved crop yields, diverse nutrition and income sources, and low-carbon, energy use.  With the advent of Covid-19, more innovative and holistic solutions will be required to increase resiliency and food security in refugee and host communities, and SAC is eager to help transform the lives of smallholder farmer families using its proven solution.

One of the key cornerstones of SAC’s integrated development-oriented business solution is its focus on gender inclusivity training.   A lack of involvement of women and girls in smallholder farming and income generation activities is a major contributor to food insecurity in Africa.

Our local staff in Uganda will help families develop a shared vision for their home. Women are supported to raise their aspirations beyond subsistence farming. We help husbands and wives work out how best to share the workload and decision-making to achieve their vision. Families become more harmonious and prosperous, and children grow up happier, better educated and with wider horizons. SAC’s project will directly provide community leaders with sensitization and training on gender, disability and human rights, training on reproductive health and gender-based violence (GBV) related issues, including early pregnancies, and make referrals for medical and support services.