This program, implemented by AFAP's local partner, Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT), is the Zimbabwean component of our AFAP-APAC Program. The “Northeast Integrated Rural Development Program” is working in the four districts of Chegutu, Goromonzi, Murewa and Nyanga.

CTDT is implementing all the four sectors of the AFAP-APAC Program – food security, water and sanitation, health, and capacity building. The first block consists of food security interventions mainly focusing on demonstration forest gardens, conservation farming, drip irrigation and open pollinated seed distribution amongst beneficiaries. The demonstration forest gardens act as an “in situ farmer school” where the production of various food crops, nutritional and medicinal trees (such as moringa), herbs and

vegetables are grown for demonstration to encourage adoption of the same by communities at household levels.

The forest gardens also act as seed and seedling sources for the community who are willing to adopt them, especially members belonging to support and lead farmers groups. The use of village forest areas encourages communities to conserve the remaining natural forests, because they can see and access immediate benefits from them.  The program has, at times, provided inputs like seed and fertiliser for poor households and households affected by HIV and AIDS to improve food security.

The second component of the program is the provision of safe water and sanitation for communities. The main activities include the protection of deep wells, sinking new and rehabilitation of old boreholes and construction of gravity fed piped water schemes (Nyanga). The sanitation activities mainly involve the construction of Blair toilets and pit latrines for households who are required to mobilise 1500 bricks, dig a deep pit and pay for local builders’ labour.

Thirdly, the program implements HIV and AIDS and gender mainstreaming activities. The HIV and AIDS interventions have focussed on raising awareness on HIV and AIDS, promotion of nutritional and herbal medicines (treatment and care) and on a much smaller scale, impact mitigation (formation of support groups and income generating activities).  Support groups for People Living with HIV and AIDS have been established in all sites and volunteer care givers are being mobilised to provide Home Based Care services. On a very limited scale and, in most cases such activities are just starting, CTDT has implemented some prevention and behaviour change (raising awareness on HIV and AIDS through Information-Education-Communication materials).  A decision has been made to adopt the Chikuni Home-Based Care approach. A nurse who has been operating a private clinic has been approached and her clinic is being integrated into the program. A new building has been constructed to host the clinic in readiness for its wider mandate and was recently opened.

The fourth intervention consists of capacity enhancement at individual, community and organisational level for effective service delivery of the program interventions. Capacity building activities include community mobilisation, establishing PLWHA support groups, training of various committees, volunteers and members of staff from CTDT and local and international exchange visits. Various methods of capacity building are used including workshops, study tours, farmer field shows, exchange visits and use of lead farmers. Government officials, especially those from the Agriculture Research and Extension Services are mainly used for training farmers in food security related approaches.