Rural poor in Burundi receive $14 million boost from UN
Burundi has received a $14 million grant from the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to help the rural poor in the African Great Lakes nation, which is rebuilding after a brutal civil war.
Burundi has received a $14 million grant from the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to help the rural poor in the African Great Lakes nation, which is rebuilding after a brutal civil war.
A burgeoning population and the return of hundreds of thousands of refugees have put a strain on Burundi, with population density exceeding 500 people per square kilometre in some areas.
Additionally, the average farm size is shrinking, soil is being rapidly degraded and nearly all public land has been distributed or occupied, while food insecurity and malnutrition are on the rise.
The IFAD-supported PAIVA-B project will directly reach 30,000 family farms – hillside farmers with less than 1 hectare of land – directly and a further 60,000 indirectly.
The scheme seeks to increase the yields of rice and other crops; augment poor farmers’ incomes; and boost food security and nutrition, among other aims.
PAIVA-B brings the total amount of IFAD funding for rural development projects in Burundi to over $100 million.