Center
of Excellence for Rural Development (CERD) is the continuation of Lachi Poverty Reduction Program (LPRP), which was designed to improve the livelihood of over 254,000 people in the southern districts of NWFP. The project was initiated in April 2000 with a proposed period of five years which was funded by United Nations Development Programme. After successful culmination of the project, the devoted staff of the project decided to launch a movement to further augment the successes of the project. Accordingly, in 2007, CERD was established as an independent non-profit organization under section 42 of the Company Ordinance 1984. to reduce poverty in the target areas as a basis for sustained self-development through the provision of basic social and economic infrastructure and improving the natural resource base of local community.
To undertake innovative practices for evolving and testing new ideas regarding rural development in order to replicate the models with specific emphasis on income generation through value chain, agriculture, water conservation and integrated water resource management. To assist and support rural development programs particularly in more sensitive areas to replicate sustainable livelihood models as developed by South Asia Poverty Alleviation Program and Lachi Poverty Reduction Project. To train and develop farmers in best agriculture practices. To establish market linkages between growers and consumers. To promote agricultural, horticultural and other sciences and to undertake scientific and technical research.
B. Rationale
The efficiency and quality of production in any sector is highly dependent on the skills, knowledge and attitudes of the workers involved in the production process. It has been noted with great concern that the agriculture and its sub sectors in our rural areas couldn’t produce desired level of production both in terms of quality as well as quantity due to large number of constraints. So CERD provide support in the following fields: Many farmers, who are engaged in horticulture and livestock sectors, are guided in transforming their activities from a subsistence level to commercial market.
A. Goals
The main interventions are as follows; To develop the rural areas and resources of the land, undertake support measures, programs, plans and schemes for rural development and its socioeconomic welfare and modernization.
Farmers are provided high quality seed for their lands that may lead to high and superior output. The farmers are provided sound technical know-how in horticulture production. These include a wide range of skills including seedlings, grafting and transplanting as well as maintenance of the young crop to production stage. Extension services to farming communities are also provided. The Tribal belt influenced by religious groups and affected by Afghan Refugees are supported in their skills.
Keeping in view the above-mentioned facts, CERD works to provide farmers, and farmer groups with demand-driven technical and managerial services to improve their productivity, competitiveness and creditworthiness to access financing for their enterprises.
are dates, mango, onion and other vegetables. District Kohat is also famous for a variety of fruits and vegetables, common among them is high quality of Guava. Similarly, all seasonal and off-season vegetable are grown in the district which, if added value to, would bring laurels to the farmers and other dealing in such products. The most famous fruit in D.I. Khan is the dates. It is one of the cheapest and abundant products. Treatment of fruit is purely traditional resulting in loss of the fruit as well as it nutrition. Similarly, all sort of vegetables are grown and are facing the same problems. Farmers and other people participating in value addition in any form would be benefited directly or indirectly. CERD takes the initiative to help farmers increase their income by adding value to their fruits and vegetables. The Project aims at empowering the growers to become actively engaged in production, processing and marketing of agriculture produce.
E. Components
The focal areas under LPRP domain are water resource management, improved crop production, livestock improvement and capacity building of the concerned masses.
C. Project Area
CERD is working in different parts of Pakistan with the help of its participants belonging to highly diversified fields. The structure is based on regional and sub-regional networks of staff working along with different organizations to fulfill the needs of the communities. As such, the project is mainly concentrating on Southern districts of NWFP including Kohat, F.R. D.I. Khan , F.R. Karak and F.R.Peshawar.
1. Experience in Water Conservation
In water management program, CERD formally known as LPRP was the pioneer of introducing a number of water schemes namely hand pumps, dug wells, and finally the most innovative, the mini dams. Establishment of these schemes has provided ample water, which ultimately ensured food security, improved livestock husbandry, better hygienic conditions and increased production of crops with optimum inputs. Water availability has a positive effect on human as well as livestock productivity. As a whole 100 mini dams
D. Target Groups / Beneficiaries
CERD struggling to target growers dealing with all major crops, fruits and vegetables. In D.I. Khan the major crops
were constructed to solve the water problem of the target area. 2. Participatory Varietal System & Seed Priming Model The crop production program has many accomplishments pertaining to introduction of new profitable crops and varieties, quality seed production through innovative approaches such as Participatory Varietal System (PVS) and seed villages. Farmers have been acquainted with cropping opportunities such as intercropping, off-season vegetable production, fruit planting and forest nursery raising etc to diversify income returns along with improvement in the management of crop husbandry. In order to enhance agricultural productivity, 53 seed villages of imported wheat variety were established. Under the scheme 28.1 tones of improved seeds were provided to the farmers on credit basis. In addition, 561 groundnut trials were carried out by the farmers. The average increase in income estimated to be Rs. 2500 per acre compared to rain fed farming. 3. Village Selection Breeding Program 2. The livestock improvement program has shown significant progress in introducing innovative approaches for a successful livestock breed and feed improvement vis-à-vis Village Breeding Centers (VBC), improvement in feed resources, health and sanitation. Consequently, under the village selection breeding center program, phenotypically superior bull and bucks were purchased by community with the help of project and were used for crossing. As a whole the project, provided 214 superior bucks and 187 bulls. Some 295 Village Breeding Centers were established in the target area.
4. Micro Credit & Enterprise Development The project facilitated the communities to establish 5 Village Organizations (VOs) and disbursement of 500 micro loans and improving overall loan recovery rate of 84pc to 90pc and marinating VO recovery rate of 100pc.
5. Social Mobilization The Project also formed more than 800 Community Organizations (COs) to mobilize community based initiative. As a result 23,053 households became members of COs. These COs undertook 75 infrastructure schemes besides strengthening the capacity and skills of the project staff. 6. Human Resource Development To develop the human resource in the area, CERD imparts training in various discipline. These include: 1. Community Managerial Training: MCO 839, WCO 1913 and others 141 Subject Specific Training: MCO 918, WCO 213. Vocational/Income Generating Skills Training: MCO 607,WCO 837 and 78 Para Professional Training: MCO 151, WCO 166. Livestock Management: Various NRM Trainings.
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Note: MCO (Men community organization) WCO (Women community organization)
7.Impact Assessment Studies: Seventeen studies on different interventions were conducted. Twenty four documentaries prepared. Several National and International Workshops held.
F. Current Initiatives
CERD current initiatives are: 12 2 Crops, Fruits & Vegetable value addition project funded by Agribusiness Support Fund Honeybee Cross-pollination Management Industry Project funded by Agribusiness Support Fund. Disaster preparedness and Risk Management in collaboration with GTZ, ICIMOD and University of Peshawar. Technical Backstopping to South FATA Project. Flash Flood Affected Project funded by Germany Embassy has successfully been completed. Distributed Non Food Items including Winter Kits provided by Islamic Relief for the flood affected people at Peshawar. Technical Backstopping to Peace Committees formed at villages with the assistance of Just Peace International, Asia Foundation and Police Department. Nutrition Programme for IDPs at Kacha Garhi I and II, and Jalozai Camps funded by UNICEF has recently been completed. Pakistan Emergency Response to flood and Conflict IDPs funded by UNHCR has recently been completed. This includes winterization of Camps and Parda Wall. Construction of Community Kitchen at Kacha Garhi Camp for IDPs funded by
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UNHCR has successfully been completed. Implementing RAHA Project of UNHCR at Charsadda and Peshawar. It includes WATSAN (Water and sanitation), Vocational Training to Afghan Refugees and Locals of the area, Physiotherapy Training to both Afghan and Pakistan nationals at Habib Physiotherapy Complex, Hayatabad, Peshawar. Mother Care Health Centre at Kacha Garhi IDPs Camps funded by UNICEF Community Management Services Project at IDPs Camps Kacha Garhi-I and Kacha GarhiII being funded by UNHCR. Community Services at IDPs camps Jalozai camps 1-10, funded by UNHCR. Community services at IDPs camps at Jalala, Sheikh Yasin, Sheikh Shahzad and Yar Husain in District Mardan and Swabi respectively. Nutrition Services at Nowshera and Mardan at host families IDPs funded by UNICEF. Care and Maintenance of Afghan Refugees in NWFP at districts Swabi, Mardan, Buner and Lower Dir funded by UNHCR. Comprehensive healthcare with maternal and child healthcare program (UNICEF funded) at Mazdor abad camp Takht bhai district Mardan.
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