Food security

Farmer group members learning
conservation farming.

A key conclusion from WCS' studies in Luangwa Valley is that poor subsistence farmers unable to grow enough food were often unable to contribute to the positive production of wildlife or other valuable natural resources in their area. Typically, such farmers relied on illegal use of wildlife to compensate their food shortage by exchanging game meat for food produced by more successful farmers. In areas where wildlife was not a common resources, families affected by hunger might generate extra income to buy food by converting trees to charcoal for sale. COMACO therefore made food security a pre-requisite for building community commitment to natural resource management.

COMACO defines household food security as "sufficient food to last from one harvest to the next for a given family". For subsistence farmers, who represent the vast majority of households in Luangwa Valley, this requires good farming skills. Prior to COMACO, studies showed from 20 to 60% of local residents in Luangwa Valley, depending on rainfall and other factors, were not food secure for up to 3 months. With support and close collaboration from various partners working with WCS, most especially World Food Program and Food and Agricultural Organization, COMACO was able to achieve food security for thousands of households. To view these results please click here -