Burundi, one of the world’s poorest countries, is ranked 187th out of 193 countries on the Human Development Index. Food insecurity is a major problem due to climate change and the increased pressure on scarce arable lands as Burundi is one of Africa’s most densely populated countries. People practice subsistence agriculture on lands that are not very fertile and prone to erosion. For several months now, inflation has been pushing up the cost of basic necessities and fuel supplies have been unstable.
The degradation of natural resources and the loss of ecosystem support directly contribute to widespread poverty. The political situation improved somewhat in 2021 with the lifting of the European Union sanctions that had been imposed in the wake of the protracted 2015 crisis during which the nation’s borders were closed, foreign correspondents loss journalistic privileges and relations with the United Nations and the international community were ruptures. The country’s new openness is expected to improve its capacity to address the challenges it faces. However, the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and accusations of Rwanda’s implication in it have led to the closure of Burundi’s border with Rwanda.
Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada works in Burundi is to counter the numerous insecurities that Burundians face and to enhance their ability to meet their basic needs. We accompany communities so that they can create a social fabric imbued with dignity for all. With a long-term perspective, and based on the expertise of farmers, our work focuses on building resilient systems based on agroecology and self-development.
Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada’s activities in the country include:
In 2012, this woman began saving and received a small loan of $60 from solidarity groups devoted to long-term personal betterment.
Today, she is the president of her local peasant women’s association in the Gasorwe area. “For me, the route to self-reliance is a struggle, and one that requires women to be determined, to link up with others moving forward and to undertake new initiatives without being discouraged by their spouses or those around them.”
A form of training called Gender-Active Learning System (GALS) has helped people mitigate conflicts within families and develop new initiatives.
The new planting methods and improved cutting techniques have allowed households to more than double their cassava yields to 25 kilograms per square foot of plantation.
“Only an integrated approach can break the vicious cycle of poverty”, Déogratias Niyonkuru in For Peasant Dignity – African testimonies, experiences, and reflections on methodological approaches.
While continuing to support the peasant movement and the involvement of women and young people in solidarity and agriculture, we will focus on better coordinating climate change mitigation efforts at all levels.
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Development and Peace — Caritas Canada is the official international solidarity organization of the Catholic Church in Canada and the Canadian member of Caritas Internationalis.
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