Help towards self-help for refugees from Sudan

Every day, several hundred people arrive in Chad who have fled civil war violence in Sudan. Almost 90 per cent of them are women and children. Chad, itself one of the world’s poorest countries, has launched an initiative via which 100,000 hectares of land is to be leased free-of-charge: half of it to refugee families and half to families in need in the recipient communities. An area of one hectare is to be allocated per family. The World Food Programme (WFP) is to support the families in making the land, most of which is currently still degraded, suitable for farming, Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) states in a press release.

Seven million US dollars for the Haguina Initiative in Chad
 

The Chad Government’s Haguina Initiative was developed with the aid of a WPF fund which had been initiated with German support. Haguina means “It’s ours” in Chad Arabic. Finance from the WFP fund pledged so far totals six to seven million US dollars.

The land involved in the scheme often consists of degraded areas which, supported by the UN organisations, must yet be made usable again. This effort provides refugees and people in the recipient communities with initial options for income.

The land is chosen on condition that it is not too close to the border with Sudan, that water is available and that the local people give their consent. So far, 17,500 hectares in public and private ownership has been offered in six provinces. In the first implementation phase, 3,138 hectares of land is to be distributed among around 3,000 families, half of them refugees and half locals in need in the recipient community.

As the BMZ stresses in its press release, in this manner, the people are to be enabled to earn their own living. Thus the Haguina Initiative can strengthen cohesion between refugees and recipient communities and lessen dependence on humanitarian aid. A World Bank study shows that each euro invested in boosting resilience among people in fragile living conditions saves four euros in humanitarian aid.

On the part of the UN, in addition to the WFP, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are participating in the initiative. In addition to its benefits for refugees and recipient communities, reclaiming the land also serves as adaptation to climate change and as a measure to combat desertification. For the mostly fallow areas can be once again turned into fertile arable land and pastureland, partly with the aid of simple, ancient means, such as the half-moon method.

(BMZ/wi)

Further information:

Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ): German development cooperation with Chad (German)