WFP, Korea ink 13.8bn/- deal for Kigoma farmers

WITHIN the framework of the humanitarian-development nexus, World Food Programme (WFP) and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) recently signed a four-year agreement valued at 6 million US dollars (about 13.8bn/-) to ensure food and nutrition security to smallholder farmers.

The programme will cover over 20, 000 smallholder farmers, build climate-resilient communities and promote social cohesion and gender quality among the population.

Inking the deal, WEP Country Director and Representative, Sarah Gordon-Gibson further said the support would also be extended to over 200,000 refugees in the Kili Tija Kigoma (KITIKI) project in Kigoma Region.

She added: “More than 200,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, mostly women and children have been living in the Kigoma Region and funding for them has been done through the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

“Funding will also help WFP to support some 20,000 smallholder farmers and their families, as well as to build institutional, technical, financial and agricultural capacities of community-based organizations in the area.

“We are not only empowering smallholder farmers but also contributing towards the triple nexus of humanitarian assistance, development and peace-building in Kigoma Region.”

Equally, she narrated how globally the WFP and the Government of Korea have a strong relationship that dates back to 1960s, especially on rapid economic and social development, adding that achieving zero hunger is at the core of WFP’s mandate.

“In July this year, WFP started the implementation of its five-year Country Strategic Plan, which will support the economic, social, and environmental issues of food and nutrition security for the people we serve, through a set of activities that will contribute to: i) sustaining inclusive economic growth through market-based interventions, ii) strengthening human capital and increased affordability of healthy diets, and iii) promoting climate change adaptation and environmental restoration.

“When refugees and host communities live in the same area, there is a close link between food security and social cohesion. Therefore, it is critical that we adopt an integrated and coherent approach to ensure not only that people are well-fed, but that we foster economic growth and a stable environment and this is what the project plans to achieve,” she pointed out.

On his part, KOICA Country Director in Tanzania, Mr Kyucheol Eo, said: “KOICA is a governmental development agency dedicated to providing grant aid program for social and economic development in Tanzania.

“The project will fully include KOICA’s values in partnership with WFP in Tanzania. I have no doubt that the project will strengthen stallholder farmers’ agriculture value chain, and improve gender quality and peace in refugee hosting districts in Kigoma Region,” he said.

He further said the KITIKI project will enhance peaceful co-existence among refugees and host communities by promoting community engagement and dialogue, noting: “Under the initiative, Tanzanians smallholder farmers, many of whom are women, will receive training on good agricultural practices, post-harvest handling and accessing markets. Additionally, WFP will link farmers with refugee communities to provide a ready market for their produce.”