ABOUT MISUNGWI ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE PROJECT – MEAP
MEAP project mainly integrated into two components in four villages that is Conservation Agriculture and Malnutrition & HIV.
Conservation agriculture
Under conservation agriculture the MEAP, the project is designed to address the factors contributing to low agricultural productivity by promoting conservation agriculture system. This means switching from conventional agriculture which is still widely practiced, to a system that enhances sustained production levels while concurrently conserving the environment. Moreover, conservation agriculture is a component of ecological agriculture by itself. Ecological farming includes practices such as intensive use of cover crops or reduced tillage which regenerate ecosystem services like: prevention of soil erosion, water infiltration and retention, carbon sequestration in the form of humus, and increased biodiversity. Ecological farming practices contribute to habitat management both above ground and in the soil, and to increased crops productivity. In same component, the Misungwi Ecological Agriculture Project (MEAP) will facilitate the establishment of functional producers marketing in areas of operation, link farmers with external traders to secure markets of their produce.
Malnutrition and HIV
Under this component, the project is designed to carry out activities that aim at reducing malnutrition and prevalence HIV and AIDS in the project area. Intended impact include improved health status of specific groups of population.
PROJECT DURATION
This project is three years’ project from 2019 – 2021.
PROJECT GOAL
Rural Poverty alleviated and livelihood improved in Misungwi District by 2021
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
1. Poverty in the project area is reduced
2. The state of health of specific groups of the population (PLHIV, pregnant and lactating mothers and children under five) in the project area improved.
PROJECT OUTCOME
- At least 30% (800 people among them at least 50% female) of the direct target group practice conservation agriculture at the end of the project.
- At least 50% (1200 people) of the direct target group increase their income by 50% (TZS 2,219 to 3,325/day) until the end of the project
- The number of new HIV infections in the 4 project villages is reduced by 50% (from 40 to 20 in Ng’ombe, from 116 to 58 in Wanzamiso, from 18 to 9 in Nyamatala and from 38 to 15 in Mwagala)
- Number of people in the project village consuming balanced diet increased in children from 20% to 60% and in adults from 15% to 40%
TARGET GROUP
This project intends to reach a total number of 4,800 direct beneficiaries
- Farmers
- Agriculture Animators
- Local leaders (VEO and WEO) and WAEO/VAEO
- Also the project intends to reach a total number of 3,600 Indirect beneficiaries within project village as well as entire district. Gender equality is given high priority during project implementation, which is in line with MRHP gender policy of 50:50 representations (50% M and 50% F)
VILLAGES UNDER THE PROJECT
The project operates in four villages in two wards namely Igokelo with two villages of Ng’ombe and Wanzamiso Ukiliguru with two villages of Mwagala and Nyamatala