08-07-2019 | di COOPI

CAR: a better governance to boost economy in Lobaye

Participation, transparency, responsibility and equity are the key concepts we are promoting in the Prefecture of Lobaye in Central African Republic, to ensure good governance at community level and increase prosperity.

Several members from four different agricultural groups, or platforms, attended the training sessions on administrative and financial management as part of the "Support for the resilience of vulnerable farmers and stockbreeders in southern Lobaye” funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).

To improve administrative and financial management, it is crucial to establish rules that make sure the agricultural platforms - consisting of an executive office and a general council - are working in the right way.

Practical lessons on stock management, transaction reporting, budget estimate, supply and demand and market organisation have provided participants with adequate tools to strengthen their capacity on production techniques and on marketing of agricultural products.

A final test collected the results of the beneficiaries and the level of knowledge acquired – in general, most of participants totalled an average of 14 out of 20 points, while the minimum score to pass the test was 10 out of 20.

Thanks to our project to support the resilience of "paysans" (farmers, breeders, traders and artisans) – ending on August 2019 - we are improving food security and the production, processing and marketing capabilities for agro-pastoral products in the prefecture of Lobaye and in the sub prefecture of Mbaiki.

COOPI is present in the Central African Republic since 1974 and has never left the countr - in 2018, it extended its interventions to 7 new prefectures, including Lobaye, with food security projects and rural development programmes, to the benefit of farmers and breeders.