We believe that rural development should strive to improve the living conditions of rural communities while integrating economic and social elements.

As a contribution to that aim, the Rural development and food security team is mobilising its extended network of experts in several thematic areas (e.g. agricultural and animal production, forestry, land management, value chain, farmers’ organisation), providing technical expertise to specific clients (EU, DGD – Belgium, BTC, WFP etc.).

Prospect C&S acknowledges that rural development enhances the agricultural potential of a given territory for achieving sustainable socio-economic development, which contributes to food security.

We recognise that rural populations facing chronic vulnerability, as it is the case in many sub-Saharan countries, require a food security approach, based on multidisciplinary methods, that seeks to strengthen each of the four pillars (i.e. availability, accessibility, stability, utilization).

Our main interests focus on two specific domains:

• food and nutrition security crisis prevention and particularly food security information systems;
• design and support to strategies aiming to build resilience of rural vulnerable populations.

Prospect C&S’ staff includes experts in food security, providing backstopping support to field staff working on different assignments in partnership with specialised institutions and NGOs such as: AEDES, IRAM, OXFAM.

Environmental and climate change issues are undoubtedly related to rural development and food security issues. Therefore, integrate these themes in our overall thinking for finding sustainable solutions is essential.

Selected Project References

Impact assessment of the 2018 operations against food insecurity in Niger, implemented by the National Food Crisis Prevention and Mitigation Mechanism

Support to the Implementation of the Agriculture Sector Wide Approach and Green Belt Initiative – Component 2: Irrigation – Malawi

EU-China Young farmers Programme

Technical assistance to the ASSOBACAM (Banana Association of Cameroon) and its members who benefit from the Banana Accompanying Measures Programme – Phase II

Technical assistance for the transversal support to the inception of the Food security and Nutrition Programme (SAN) in Chad

Final evaluation of the Food security and Nutrition Programme (PROSANUT)

Formulation of the Sustainable Development Programme of the Agricultural Sector in Benin, component Capacity building in agricultural training and advisory services