Chad Market Gardens – Greening The Desert
Chad’s expansive desert landscape seems like exact place to avoid if one wants to set up a garden. But supporting in the set-up of gardens is just what the AIRD team in the Eastern province of Ouaddaï did. Fully funded by AIRD, a market garden project was implemented that has since benefitted refugees and host populations in the Farchana district, Ouaddaï. 631 households including 190 refugee households have been able to realise bountiful harvest of Okra, Okra leaves, Carrot, Alfalfa, Sorrel, Green Beans, Amaranth, Beet, Squash, Turnip, Lettuce and Watermelons. The produce is used to boost food supply for households in the area in addition to acting a source of income. The success of the project is in large part due to drilling activities undertaken by AIRD that has provided water for both household use and for watering the gardens.
On 12 June 2020, the governor of Ouaddaï along with head of the UNHCR Sub-Delegation Mr Abdou Mahamane Dango, undertook a visit to Farchana. Following a meeting of several humanitarian partners and regional authorities, the group visited the market gardens to understand the impact they are having on the communities. In a speech during the event, the Governor expressed immense happiness seeing what the gardens are enabling the local communities to achieve, and said it is one of the greatest achievements he has witnessed in the entire Molou Sub-Prefecture. With plenty of fresh produce delivered to him by the local community in hand, the Governor pledged to work towards funding the project in the year 2021 through the National Agency for Rural Development) (ANADER).
In an environment marked by uncertainty brought on by issues such as the COVID 19 pandemic, it is critical to provide solutions that will give communities a sense of resilience, even as refugees continue to flock in due to conflict in the neighbouring Darfur region.
AIRD is proud to continue delivering relevant and sustainable long term solutions for the People of Concern in the communities within which we work.
