WASHINGTON, June 29, 2021 – The World Bank has approved a new $50 million grant (CFAF 27 billion) to boost food production and build the resilience of food insecure smallholders and households.
This financing from the special Crisis Response Window of the International Development Association (IDA)* will provide support to more than 465,000 food insecure small farmers and persons through cash-for-work activities, while rehabilitating small-scale agricultural infrastructure in six prefectures (Nana-Gribizi, Ouham, Ouaka, Basse Kotto, Haute Kotto, and Mambéré-Kadeï), as well as in the capital Bangui and the surrounding commune of Ombella-M’Poko.
“This emergency support will help increase food production and break the cycle of dependence on food aid in future seasons,” said Han Fraeters, World Bank Country Manager for the Central African Republic. “The focus will be on nutrition, especially increased access to healthy and varied foods for vulnerable farmers, particularly women. ”
The Central African Republic is currently grappling with a severe food insecurity crisis, with estimates putting the number of severely food insecure persons at almost 2 million in April 2021 (more than 40% of the population). The chronic malnutrition rate is also extremely high and exceeds the 30% average. The magnitude of the crisis reflects the convergence of chronic problems in the agriculture and livestock sectors, which are adversely affecting food productivity and production volumes.
The Central African Republic Emergency Food Crisis Response Project (PRUCAC) will engage approximately 45,000 farmers in cash-for-work projects and several thousand producers will receive agricultural inputs and technical support, while benefiting from the rehabilitation of irrigation systems and other agricultural infrastructure.
The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, in partnership with the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP).
*The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 75 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to 1.5 billion people. Since 1960, IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments have averaged around $18 billion over the past three years, with about 54% going to Africa.
