International Development Grant
USC Canada - Program 2010-2015
Project Number: CA-3-S065024001
Status: Closed
Country/Region:
Maximum Contribution: $10,517,334.00
Start Date: June 29, 2010
End Date: December 31, 2015
Duration: 5.5 years
Project Description
This program contributes to enhanced food security nutrition and resilience to climate change through agro-ecological practices and seed improvements in nine countries by: (1) significantly increasing the production of food for 15 000 households; (2) stimulating sustainable economic growth by promoting community economic activities for 7 000 households; and (3) increasing household income by an estimated 20%. The nine countries and regions of intervention are Bangladesh (Thakurgaon and Nilphamari) Bolivia (Potosi) Ethiopia (South Wollo zone) Honduras (Yoro Intibucá Francisco Morazán and Comayagua) Mali (Douentza and Mopti) Senegal (Podor) Burkina Faso (Soum) Nepal (Kaski Banke Makawanpur Sarlahi Humla and Lalitpura) and Timor Lest(Aileu and Manatuto). Key activities include: (1) training partner staff in monitoring and conducting baseline studies and assessments; (2) strengthening the capacity of community seed banks by creating additional seed banks providing training in plant breeding and control of post-harvest losses; (3) improving agricultural infrastructure for soil and water conservation providing training on cropping methodologies and promoting agroforestry; (4) training farmers in post-harvest processing providing training on micro-enterprises and strengthening the capacity of farmers' and women's associations; (5) undertaking gender analyses and gender audits with all USC partners to provide them with leadership training and to promote women-led agricultural production and income-generating activities for women; and (6) engaging Canadians by hosting several hundred community events across Canada developing short videos and producing publications related to food security. Local partners are: 1) Bangladesh - USC Canada-Bangladesh; 2) Bolivia - Programa de Desarrollo Integral Interdisciplinario; 3) Ethiopia - Ethio-Organic Seed Action; 4) Honduras - Foundation for Participatory Research; 5) Nepal - Self Help Initiative Program and Par
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of the end of the project (December 31 2015) include: (1) 87 community seed banks and field gene banks were supported and beneficiaries were trained and received support for activities such as participatory plant breeding seed banking soil and water conservation post-harvest transformation and the marketing and sale of agricultural biodiversity products; (2) the project reached 293 communities (an increase of 35% from the baseline and surpassing the target of 270) and a total of 20 801 households including 13 215 women 14 480 men 14 238 girls and 9 011 boys (an increase of 47% from the baseline); (3) focus groups in three program areas in Ethiopia estimated increases between 20-100% in the average yield of key crops like sorghum wheat teff and beans. In addition the focus groups estimated an average of 66% of participants increased yields of the main crops (wheat and sorghum). The main factors attributed to this were: access to seeds that are locally adapted and resistant to disease and pests; the possibility of multi-cropping; and better awareness and soil management practices from training delivered by the program and government extension workers; and (4) the project deepened and broadened Canadian engagement through a combination of mass media work social media collaborative campaigning quality educational tools and public presentations and special events reaching an estimated 117 000 Canadians. The project also introduced a number of accessible agricultural innovations to target communities which included: (1) the use of water management techniques (Mali Burkina Faso Nepal Bolivia) that facilitated additional harvests and production during dry periods; (2) the integration of marketable agro-forestry products to the farming system (Timor Leste Mali Burkina Faso Honduras); (3) experimentation with seed and learning exchanges to conserve endangered varieties from different climatic zones (Mali); (4) the introduction
Key Information
Executing Agency:
SeedChange
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Donor country personnel
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Pre-APP