As at 31 December 2018, UNHCR and its Partner ADSSE had contributed to a total of 5.0% of persons of concern aged (18-59 years) being self-employed amongst whom 510 (4%) of households that accessed 736 hectares of farm land through the support of the National Refugee Commission (CNR) and local authorities received agricultural support in the form of seeds such as paddy rice, groundnuts, beans and maize and farm tools (hoes, machetes, watering cans and dig axes). This reporting year, an additional 1,720 households in 172 groups received agricultural support while non-agricultural support in the form of tailoring kits, hairdressing kits, carpentry tools, baking machines, rice milling machines, transportation scooters and fish-farming support was provided to 320 households in 32 groups. Hence the percentage of PoCs aged 18-59 towards whom efforts have been made at ensuring self-reliance currently stands at 31.3% (i.e. 2,550 out of 8,137 ). However bearing in mind the 69% increase in the influx of refugees and asylum seekers between August 2017 and 31st December 2018, the adjusted percentage of persons supported is 18.5%.
Agriculture and livestock support is envisaged for 4,200 households i.e. 40% of refugee households for whom it is anticipated that additional support would be required following the implementation of the “Cash for Self-reliance” strategy planned for January 2019 to June 2020. These households would continue to receive agricultural support, including the establishment of small irrigation schemes with their contribution. The most successful refugee farming households would be recommended for integration into the “Operation Terre Rouge.” This is an agroforestry project that would target refugee and host communities on a 50%-50% basis. This would allow each member of cooperative unions to access more than 5,000 hectares of land in order to practice agro-ecologically-friendly farming.
Livestock production is of utmost importance in order to facilitate attainment of food security, protein intake and overall well-being of refugees. However, livestock production is not currently practiced intensively in host communities meaning that engaging refugees in it will put them in a position where competition with locals would not be stiff hence its impact would be immediate. In view of this, all livestock production activities in the comprehensive response would be fully prioritized.
As a matter of priority, a consultancy would be organized for at least 5% (i.e. 525 out of the 10,500) and 5% (i.e. 63 out of 1250) of households respectively participating in the “Cash for Traditional Agriculture” and “Cash for Alternative Production Systems” sub programmes within the broader “Cash for Self-reliance” strategy to run from January 2019 to June 2020. The consultant will train these PoCs on the ILO-conceived “Start and improve your Business (SIYB) entrepreneurial programme which includes modules on starting a business, expanding a business, writing a business plan and recordkeeping. A Village Savings and Loans Scheme (VSLS) would be encouraged for these 588 households. This scheme would be based on the premises that some refugees are already practicing what they call "Limulimu."
In the absence of sufficient funds for a comprehensive response aimed at promoting self-reliance for refugees, fewer individuals and households would be served than planned. Consequently, the livelihoods options they may be trying to pursue may not be sustainable for several reasons. Firstly, the rate of dependence of unemployed refugees on those trying to build sustainable livelihoods would be high. Secondly, those engage in income-generating activities may find themselves in a situation where other refugees are not able to buy what they produce.