IFAD provides $12.5 m for agricultural project

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has provided a US $12.5-million loan to Guinea to support sustainable agricultural activities among women, young people and the disabled in Guinea's Forest Region (Guinee Forestiere). The project will be implemented in villages and communities in the southern prefectures of Beyla, Nzerekore, Macenta, Lola and Yomou. It will focus on the most vulnerable groups, which mainly engage in subsistence agriculture on marginal land with high levels of soil degradation, IFAD reported. "The objective of the project is to improve the incomes and living conditions of poor rural people in the forest region through the organization of rural communities and villages with a view to ensuring sustainable agricultural development," IFAD said. The project will provide technical and financial assistance for community restructuring, microprojects to increase agricultural productivity and environmental protection. It will also rehabilitate wells and feeder roads and develop a system for distributing agricultural inputs. Each village will design its own development action plan with assistance from the project and will be responsible for implementation. "Although Guinea has a wealth of natural resources, it is one of the poorest countries in Africa," IFAD said. "Poverty in the Forest region is mainly due to low agricultural productivity, few wage-earning opportunities, lack of access to financial services and limited rural infrastructure. Community organisation is weak, service delivery is ineffective and the lack of resources further contributes to poverty in the area."