“We first needed to know who we are, what we offer, and how to offer it,” says coffee farmer Denis Cortez. “We in the partnership organized ourselves, and now all get involved in working for the common good. We are more aware of the impacts of what we do, how to improve quality, and apply on our farms what we learn such as new processing methods.” He is one of thousands of producers that CDAIS and its partners are working with in western Honduras, with clear results.
“Primero necesitamos conocernos para saber quiénes somos, qué es lo que ofrecemos y cómo ofrecerlo” dice Denis Cortez productor de café. Somos más conscientes del impacto de lo que hacemos, aplicamos en nuestras fincas lo que aprendemos como nuevos métodos de procesamiento para potenciar la calidad.” Él es uno de los miles de productores con los que el CDAIS y las organizaciones colaboradoras trabajan en el Occidente de Honduras, con resultados contundentes.
“The CDAIS project brings an innovative methodology because it creates capacities in us as human beings” explains Carlos Valladares of the Intibucá Farmers Network. “This has improved our understanding of our situation, we have taken full responsibility for it, and are now better able to obtain and manage information to improve producer organizations”. Associations in the region have appreciated the spaces created by CDAIS that allow them to link with other stakeholders, find solutions to common problems, and now, to even take issues to the national policy level.
“El proyecto CDAIS brinda una metodología innovadora porque crea capacidades en nosotros como seres humanos”, explica Carlos Valladares de la Red Hortícola de Intibucá. “Esto ha ayudado a que entendamos mejor nuestra situación y nos apropiemos de ella. Ahora somos capaces de obtener y manejar información para mejorar la organización de los productores”. Las asociaciones en la región han aprovechado los espacios creados por CDAIS para articular con otros actores, encontrar soluciones a problemas en común y ahora, incluso, llevar los problemas a nivel de política pública.
“Grâce à mon travail de productrice de légumes biologiques, je peux participer aux dépenses liées à l’éducation des enfants et aussi nourrir ma famille de produits sains. Je n’achète plus aucuns légumes au marché” dit Clarisse Ilboudo, productrice au sein du groupement de femmes de Koubri, province du Kadiogo, Burkina Faso.
Centred on a reservoir and irrigation scheme for livestock keepers and crop producers, the core objective of CDAIS Rwangingo catchment was to promote fair, effective and efficient use of water, as well asconflict management through collaboration among users. It stimulated a partnership framework among water users, service providers (including extensionists, input suppliers and water users organisations ) and supporters (Agri projects, enablers).
Cassava is an important crop especially in the south of Rwanda. A processing factory was constructed, but it was unable to source enough roots to make it profitable. Since CDAIS became involved, however, actors got together, saw the problems and agreed ways forward. Now a few years later business is booming for all involved, from farmers with a secure market, producers of improved planting material, and the factory itself that produces much more cassava flour and now employs 230 people.
The CDAIS ‘marketplace’ to promote agricultural innovations in Burkina Faso took place on July 6th 2017 in Ouagadougou. It was a rich event involving more than 80 people who are working directly with, or interested in working with, different partnerships. The marketplace allowed stakeholders in the six selected niches to get to know and develop relationships with suppliers of agricultural support services. It also provided an opportunity for service suppliers and other participants to show their interests in accompanying the niches on their respective journeys…
Le premier Marché des Innovations Agricoles (MIA) au Burkina Faso a eu lieu le 6 juillet 2017 à l’hôtel Laïco, à Ouagadougou. Il s’est tenu à « guichet fermé » : seuls les fournisseurs de service support à l’innovation et les bailleurs pré-identifiés par l’équipe du projet CDAIS comme étant pertinents pour renforcer les capacités des acteurs des Situations d’Innovation Localisées (SIL) ont été invités à y participer.