Burundi: Nurturing the environment
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A good clean water supply is paramount; Cord is working to protect 300 natural springs and exploring further valleys to improve irrigation on agricultural land. We have begun by cultivating community marsh lands to multiply good quality seed and produce disease resistant cassava cuttings.
Together with the local community we have developed and built a Community Seed Centre, which is already a flagship for the region. Nursery associations have set up three nurseries to grow 180,000 special grass plants and some 550,000 tree saplings to improve and sustain the land and the environment. Each household will also be given tools and seeds, as well as three fruit trees to cultivate.
Our School Gardens for Life will be key in the new schools we are building in 2008. Here children will learn simple ways of growing their food, of increasing a crop whilst not eroding the soil, and of protecting the environment. The knowledge they have will then transfer to home and better equip them for the future. |
The most vulnerable families will receive 1,400 goats and sheep - 3 animals per family - and receive training from Cord's vet in how to manage livestock. As these animals breed, so the first two healthy offspring will be passed on to another family to form a 'solidarity chain.'
