The Cluster Agriculture Development Services (CADS) implemented the N2Africa project activities during the last six years, principally in Goromonzi and Mutoko districts. CADS fosters better livelihoods for various communities faced with different challenges. The high HIV-AIDS prevalence has intensified the challenges. One of the entry points to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic is through improved access to locally produced nutritious diets. When CADS was initially invited to participate in the N2Africa project, we immediately realized we had found a natural partner to further our goals while concurrently meeting the objectives of N2Africa!
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In CADS, we have a rich tradition of working on nutrition education with both male and female farmers. Our staff include experienced nutritionists and HIV-AIDS care givers and counselors. We pride ourselves in making a difference with few resources. Things got much better when we started working with N2Africa. Our staff got critical training in grain legume production technologies. We engaged farmers and they started getting better yields within just two years, especially as a result of using inoculants for producing soyabean. |
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| The stimulus was enormous. With use of the N2Africa technologies, our farmer groups are now able to produce more grain legumes. Farmers benefitted a lot from the field days, agricultural shows and trainings that were conducted with support from N2Africa. |
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As an organization, we managed to reap several positives as a result of working with N2Africa. For example, we no longer have to bring legume grains to communities for legume processing workshops because farmers provide grain from their own produce. As a result, we have managed to reach more communities with limited financial resources. As CADS we will strive to continue incorporating legume-based technologies that we have learnt from the N2Africa project. The future is in our hands!
Lilian Machivenyika, CADS Thrust