The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: The main objectives of the project are to find alternatives to tobacco by growing healthy crops and to develop agriculture in the setting of a forest ecosystem. Then, fodder crops, tree crops and vegetables have been grown instead of tobacco crop.

Methods: Different development actions have been identified according for each beneficiary according to the situation on the ground. These development actions have been implemented and, thank to a financial aid, they have been funded. There have been continuous monitoring and evaluation. Farmers who benefited from the projects were involved in decision-making especially in identifying development actions to be implemented, materials to be selected… They also provided some funding in development actions implementation. Four projects will be described in this paper : they are the first ones implemented. There are 4 more projects in the pipe.

Results: A self help system has been set up : farmers who benefited first from the project transmitted the results of their experience and the lessons learnt to the other farmers. They lent them cash in order to make them buy primary materials. Farming systems have been diversified and the tobacco crop has been given up. There is a better integration of agriculture and livestock rearing, a reduction of forest degradation as well as of the workload for women, and the creation of a farmer organization for project management. This structure could evolve in the future towards an ‘Agricultural Development Group'. The project contributed to enhance the family income and to improve livelihoods.