Clean Water & Sanitation
Water is a crucial element of attaining and improving food security. Clean water saves lives, improves community well being, empowers women and keeps children in education.
Like other basic services, safe water is essential for the survival and well-being of humankind and its access is a prerequisite for the realisation of many human rights, including those relating to people’s survival, education and standard of living. Waterborne diseases are responsible for one in five deaths of children under five in Africa, while many waterborne illnesses, such as diarrhoea, are increasing due to the effects of climate change.
Seed, Fruit and Vegetable Production
From improved seed varieties to introducing new crops, farming methods and storage facilities, Vita’s climate-smart agriculture programmes are harvesting more than mere kilos of nutritious fruit and vegetables.
They are cultivating stable livelihoods, community resilience and entrepreneurship amongst rural farmers, unemployed youths, and previously vulnerable women. Read how these farmers in Ethiopia and Eritrea are reaping the benefits from our innovative projects supported by expert partners and supporters.
Livestock Programmes
Livestock are valuable assets for the rural poor and are critical in supporting their livelihoods as a source of income and food security. Cattle farming continues to depreciate as herds are lost to conflict, lack of available fodder, and desertification caused by environmental breakdown.
Together with its partners, Vita is engaged in livestock breed improvement, provision of livestock fodder and access to water, rangeland rehabilitation, providing access to veterinary services and capacity building for co-operatives, dairy farmers and local government.
Fuel-Efficient Cook Stoves
Home is where the hearth is. Yet, in Africa, that hearth is having a detrimental effect on women’s health, quality of life, time, and independence – not to mention the health of their young families. Traditional cooking methods in Africa are inefficient, dangerous, and harmful to the environment. Vita’s fuel-efficient cook stove programme provides women with improved stoves that improve health, save time, trees, and money. Good for health, the pocket, female empowerment, and the environment, these stoves are changing lives for the better.
Empowering Women
The Power of the Potato
Vita recognises a new approach is required that enables development partners to create equitable and sustainable potato value chains if the potential of potatoes as a food crop in Africa is to be realised.
To this end, we have come together with Ireland and, indeed, the world’s leading potato experts to develop innovative potato seed, storage, and cooperative programmes that have the potential to solve international development issues. Find out more about the Irish Potato Coalition, our work with Teagasc, Keogh’s Farms and CIP below.
