The project is a five-year initiative led by FiBL as part of the Agroecological Transitions for Horticulture in Arid Zones (ATHAZ) programme of IFAD, the UN's International Fund for Agriculutre Development and the EU's DESIRA+ in Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Partner components in ATHAZ are lead by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) and Biovision Africa Trust (BVAT), Kenya.
ATHAZ CONNECT aims to strengthen the resilience and livelihoods of smallholder farmers by promoting agroecological horticulture and building sustainable, market-driven food systems. Adopting a 'market-pull' approach, the project connects farmers with markets, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and consumers, making agroecological production economically viable. It establishes national umbrella organisations to lead domestic organic market systems in each country. Key interventions include developing 30 value chains, facilitating over 300 market contracts and supporting 250 Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) farmer groups.
ATHAZ-CONNECT also promotes farmer-led seed systems for climate-resilient crops and runs consumer awareness campaigns. The project targets 15,000 households (approximately 75,000 people) and combines participatory research, market development processes, and capacity building for local actors to demonstrate scalable agroecological business models and support broader agroecological investments in Southern Africa.
Project Manager (project approach, methodology and processes, as well as project monitoring, communication and capacity building)
