Bio-diversity

The project is aimed at improving the economic capacity of women to provide for their families and the community at large through conservation agriculture. A study by CSO in 2010 showed that women constitute a large proportion of the population compared to men and provide most of the agricultural labor at household level. Thus, conservation agriculture ensures that women efficiently utilize the limited time they have between farm and household chores while economically using the limited agricultural resources they access. Increased access to resources and food helps build self-confidence in women, to stand up and defend themselves against any form of violation of human rights. The project will be located in 8 agricultural camps were the existing women groups are located. The Camp Extension Officers under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock will provide the technical training to the women groups while the association shall administrate, monitor and evaluate. The District Agricultural Coordinator (DACO) will provide periodic consultancy, monitoring and evaluation services to ensure consistency and accountability. The project will not only impact on the lives of women individually but will also enforce the efforts made by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock to empower Women and Youths through the department of Women and enforce the efforts made by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock to empower Women and Youths through the department of Women and Youths. ABOUT THE NGO Lundazi District Women Association (LDWA) is a Non-Governmental Organization formed in 1994 by Rural Women with the help of the department of Community Development. The Organization is registered with the Registrar of societies, and has a Board in place which is democratically elected. The Organization has a Secretariat in place, and a total of 3600 members scattered across the District. The Organization has trained women in various skills, and majority of members volunteers in their villages. Further, the organization has implemented a Piggery and Borehole projects in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Major objective To build the capacity of women through skills training in sustainable agriculture in order to make them self-sustaining at household livelihood. Minor objectives 1. To train women on how to run agriculture as a business so as to increase the economic benefit from agriculture 2. To provide seed and starter packs fertilizers after training to provide an avenue for the women to commence their agribusiness activities 3. To maintain a revolving fund from the recoveries from the women this will ensure that the project sustains and expands Expected project results- 1. They will be an increase in women joining the Association 2. Reduced deforestation and degradation due to (stopping selling fire wood as the source of income) 3. Change of lively hood styles in the homes(better standards of living) 4. Increase in school going children due to (parents able to buy school requirements)

Zambia