MCMDO, through the Strengthening Resilience by Empowering Women and Girls in Areas Affected by the Sudanese Conflict (HER) Project, is supporting women headed households at Ura Refugee Site in Assosa Zone, Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia, to strengthen household food production, livelihoods, and resilience through home gardening.

As part of the initiative, women headed households received training on small scale home gardening using climate resilient agronomic practices and a nutrition sensitive approach. The training focused on selected vegetable seed varieties and combined theoretical sessions with practical demonstrations to strengthen participants’ knowledge and practical skills.

Women headed households participate in training on climate resilient home gardening practices under the HER Project.

Participants were introduced to improved agronomic practices for climate resilient vegetable production and household level gardening. The practical demonstrations provided an opportunity for participants to apply the knowledge gained and better understand how home gardening can contribute to household food production and nutrition.

Women participate in a practical demonstration on home gardening, applying improved agronomic practices under the HER Project (Asregid Asalf, MCMDO Livelihood Officer conducting the demonstration).

Alongside the training, the project provided vegetable seeds and essential farming tools to targeted women headed households. The inputs are intended to help participants establish or strengthen home gardens and apply the practices introduced through the training.

Women headed households receive vegetable seeds and farming tools to support home gardening under the HER Project.
Women headed households receive farming tools to support home gardening and strengthen household food production under the HER Project.

The project team also conducted home to home monitoring and follow up with targeted beneficiaries over the two month implementation period. These visits supported the continued application of home gardening practices and provided an opportunity to follow progress and offer practical follow up support.

The project team conducts home to home monitoring and follow up to support women in maintaining their home gardens and applying improved gardening practices.

Together, the training, agricultural inputs, and follow up support are designed to strengthen women’s capacity to engage in household food production while contributing to improved livelihoods, resilience, and self reliance among refugee communities.

The activities form part of the HER Project’s broader objective of strengthening the resilience of populations affected by forced displacement and promoting social cohesion among affected and host communities. The project places women and girls at the centre of resilience building efforts, with support spanning livelihoods, food production, health, nutrition, and protection.

Vegetable crops growing in a home garden supported through the HER Project, contributing to household food production and nutrition.

The HER Project is supported by Agence Française de Développement (AFD), with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) as partner and MCMDO as the implementing organization.

Ura Refugee Site, Assosa Zone, Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia