Kungahara: Enhancing Livelihoods of Coffee-growing Communities around Lake Kivu (ELICC)

Farmers build practical skills in agroecological and climate-smart farming to increase the amount and variety of food they produce at home. Through their Self-Help Groups, they learn about soil fertility, organic composting, intercropping and improved crop production, with training adapted to the conditions farmers face around Lake Kivu.

Households establish backyard vegetable gardens and receive vegetable seeds, helping them grow nutritious food alongside coffee and reduce their reliance on purchased food. Small-scale livestock production also provides an additional source of food for families.

Farmers learn sustainable land management practices that protect the soil and water on which coffee production depends. Training covers techniques such as terracing, mulching, composting, erosion control and agroforestry, with farmers applying these approaches to coffee and food production. Integrating shade and other useful trees into coffee farms also provides opportunities to strengthen farm diversity while protecting soil and improving growing conditions.

Model farms, demonstration plots and farmer field schools make these practices practical and accessible to all. Farmers can see how techniques work in real farming conditions and exchange experience with others who are already applying them. The project also promotes water conservation and efficient water use, responding to challenges such as limited water availability during dry periods that can affect vegetable production and household food supplies.

Farmers develop skills that allow them to earn income beyond coffee, reducing their exposure to seasonal income gaps and fluctuations in coffee prices. Women and young people receive training in entrepreneurship, business management and marketing, while the project supports households to identify income-generating activities suited to their skills and local opportunities. These include enterprises such as beekeeping, poultry keeping and handicrafts, alongside opportunities linked to coffee seedlings, fruit trees and agroforestry.

Self-Help Groups provide a structure through which farmers build financial skills and work together on economic activities. Village Savings and Loan Associations give members a way to save regularly and access small loans, helping households invest in enterprises or manage periods when income from coffee is limited. Training in financial management supports members to make informed decisions about their household and business finances.

The project has set up 100 Self-Help Groups, creating a local structure through which farmers learn and exchange experiences. Model farmers demonstrate successful approaches to their peers, from agroecological production to sustainable land and water management, giving other farmers practical examples they can adapt to their own farms. Exchange visits also allow participants to learn directly from communities already applying improved farming and livelihood practices.

Peer Farmer Trainers and Community Animal Health Workers provide ongoing technical support within their communities, extending knowledge beyond the farmers who receive direct training. Farmers are encouraged to share useful practices with others, while Ripple Effect works with local agronomists, veterinary officers and other government extension services. This connects communities with expertise and existing services that can continue to support improved farming and enterprise development beyond the project.